The Shape-shifting Hero: Animagus
by Anubis Enfield
Summary: "You think some thieving street rat can be a hero?"/"I believe anyone can be a hero. The better questions is: do you believe you can be a hero?"/"I don't even want to be a hero, so why didn't you expel me?"/"Because you ARE a hero."
1. Chapter 1

**Had this written up for a while and just needed to type it and post it. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

I groaned, pushing myself up off the ground and wearily blinking to battle the aching throb behind my eyes. _What… happened? Where…?_ A quick look around showed me I was in a dark dingy alley and I soon pushed myself upright, walking out into the street beyond. _Wasn't I…walking home?_ I remembered getting hit upside the head and winced, rubbing the area with a grimace of pain. _But this isn't familiar. Was I kidnapped? Then, why leave me here?_ It was then that I noticed the grubby sign in Japanese and the others hanging up and down the street.

"W-What? You're kidding. Am I in J-Town? How?"

A chill went down my spine as I picked a direction and began walking. When I found a busier street, I understood where the chill came from. Everyone was speaking Japanese. _This isn't right. This __**can't**__ be right. Japan? I-I'm in Japan?_ Midst my mental breakdown, I was shocked once again as someone _green_ walked past. Then, someone with wings and a partial pig, and no one reacted.

I faltered back and leaned against the wall as my breath caught in my throat. _No. No, not Japan. S-Some weird alternate universe. B-But how did I get here?_ It wasn't hours later that I had managed to calm down from a near panic attack and began to try and break things down._ O-Okay. Alternate universe where I'm the only one speaking English. F-Fine. No problem. Well, bit of a problem. I have nowhere to go. No food, no money, no one to contact and no shelter._ A rumble echoed overhead, and I cringed. _And a storm on its way. I need to go._

I ran around in search of somewhere to take shelter and for a discarded bottle of some kind. If I was going to be on the streets for a while, water was a top priority. Rain was clean and drinkable, but I would need to get some first. I managed to snag one from the top of a trash can and winced when rain began to pour down. Quickly, I ran into the alley and ducked under a back awning with a bit of cardboard box over my head to stop the water dripping off the edge of it from hitting me. _Water, check._ My stomach growled. _Food is next. Or, well, money first._

An internal debate welled up in my mind then. _Do I steal? I don't have any talent, so it would be regular street begging otherwise, and I doubt I'd get much. I'd like to avoid it though. The people out there aren't all… human. They could sense me pickpocketing, probably, and jail doesn't sound nice._ I settled down under my protection and let out a soft sigh. _I've got no choice though. And jail is probably better than being out here, as terrible as that thought is._ Begrudgingly, my eyes began to drift closed. _I'll figure it out tomorrow… God, what the hell happened to get me here?_

* * *

"Scram, brat!"

I winced as another object was thrown at me, having gotten a rude awakening from the owner of the shop whose back porch I'd napped on. Once out onto the street again, I took a minute to catch my breath. _Okay. Now, what?_ My stomach grumbled again, and I grimaced. _Food, right._

For the first two days, I tried my hand at begging. It didn't go well. I made only a few yen and the cops were constantly shooing me off. After that, I began to get desperate. I would snag a few leftovers from the trash if I saw that they were mostly protected from the rotting waste. I wanted something warm though, and convenience stores were the only way and that required stealing—either from the store itself or from people. And when things began to get harder and I'd gone without a proper meal in five days, I gave in.

I never took much and only targeted those I thought could afford it. Just enough for a decent meal every couple of days. Not even every day, and typically nothing more than a cup of soup or a warm bento. After a few weeks though, things began to change, and I started to notice things, _people_ and a particular person on the televisions in electronic store windows.

"_I am here! Plus Ultra!_"

It shocked me to realize that I had ended up in a fictional world where superpowers existed. What shocked me more, was when I discovered my own Quirk a few days later.

"Get back here, you thief!"

I had botched a job, gotten spotted by the person I'd been attempting to steal money from and he was _fast_. It wasn't the first time I'd been spotted, but it was nearing the point where it would be the first time I got caught. _I can't let that happen. I need to get away. I need to hide! I need—_I slipped into a dead end just as warmth flooded my body. It was a strange feeling, but when I turned to see the man look my way, I froze and… hissed?

"Damn, lost 'em."

The man walked off with a huff as I realized that my perspective of the world had changed, and I was _really_ close to the ground. _Am I…?_ I was. I had changed into a cat and that wasn't the only animal I could change into, but there were limitations and consequences to my new-found abilities. The biggest one being that I couldn't _choose_ what I turned into. I once spent an hour—the time I was forced to remain an animal—hiding in the back alley as a grizzly bear. It did prove helpful in getting away from people though until I picked the worst possible target.

Ruby red eyes stared down at me in half-lidded annoyance as I cowered away in the scarf-like wraps holding me in place. _How_ I didn't recognize _the_ Eraserhead was unknown to me. Maybe I got lazy after four months of being able to get away with minor stealing. Whatever it was, I was caught now, and I doubted he would let me off easily.

"Not very smart, are you, trying to steal from a pro hero."

I wanted to disappear, and I felt the familiar warmth the up inside me, only to fade as soon as it came while trapped under his gaze. He sighed and started walking, dragging me along with him.

"W-Where are we going?"

"Police station."

I groaned, muttering under my breath. "I was just hungry."

"Where're your parents, kid?"

_In another universe…_ I thought sadly, trying to push aside the depression after having mourned for my past life months ago.

"Dead," I answered, not technically lying.

"Where do you live?"

I shrugged, ignoring the look he tossed me over his shoulder as we neared the station.

"Name?"

"Hotaru Mirai."

"Hm," he hummed, turning down a street and making my brows furrow. "What's your Quirk?"

"I can... change into animals. Hold on, isn't the police station the other way?"

"Possibly. What limits does your Quirk have?"

"Dunno, why are you asking so many questions? And _where_ are we going?"

"I have a meeting in ten minutes. Taking some brat to jail will make me late, and you were very talkative. If I were a villain, you might be dead."

I bristled. "I'm not stupid. You _said_ you were a pro-hero."

"A villain lies."

"And a smart one doesn't hesitate to finish their target."

He eyed me from over his shoulder. "And which one are you?"

"I'm not a villain!"

"Says the kid stealing from people."

"Once a week for food! I don't even take that much, and I give the wallet back! I have no choice!"

"Which is why I'm dragging you to my work and not prison."

I scowled. "Why? So, you can lecture me to death? I live on the streets. What do you expect me to do? Change my ways and starve instead?"

"I expect you to keep your mouth shut during my meeting and maybe I'll buy you some lunch."

I stiffened, the mental balance in my head shifting back and forth. _Food or sass, food or sass?_ Begrudgingly, I huffed.

"_Fine_."

He cracked a smile and I couldn't help but stare in shock as we passed through a set of gates. It was U.A. The school looked bigger than I imagined, and I didn't even feel that annoyed at the amused look Eraserhead gave me as he dragged me into the school. I was tugged into an elevator and then into a conference room where I stiffened as a number of eyes landed on me.

"Hm? Who's this brat?" Vlad King questioned as Midnight purred.

"She's kinda cute."

"Didn't take you as the kid type, Eraserhead," Snipe mused as Eraserhead took his seat and dropped me in a chair beside him—still bound.

"I'm not," my captor grumbled. "Caught her trying to pickpocket me."

"That's bold," Snipe replied, eyeing me as I bristled.

I went to snap at them, annoyed with how I was being discussed like I wasn't in the room with them, but there was a glint in Eraserhead's eyes that made me slowly close my mouth._ Just remember, there's food on the line. Sweet, delicious food. A full meal… God, I wanna sass someone._ Pleased that I was restraining myself, Eraserhead turned to the principal at the head of the table.

"She won't bother us. We can start."

"Start? She'll overhear," Present Mic complained.

"I figured _you_ would have something for that."

"On it!"

If I wasn't annoyed before, I was now as sound-canceling headphones were placed over my ears and the room went silent. Present Mic gave two thumbs up and their meeting commenced now that I couldn't hear anything. Instead, I scanned the room and was surprised to see All Might in his less-than-mighty form. He was paying more attention to the meeting than me, so I was able to eye him unnoticed. _He really does look sick, doesn't he? He's not much bigger than me and I'm only this way from being stuck on the streets._ His eyes met mine then and I went rigid before sound suddenly returned, the headphones removed.

"Hotaru, yes?"

My gaze shifted from the blonde to the white mouse at the head of the table. _Who…? Oh, right. That's me. Wonder what they'd think if they knew I got the name from a ramen container…_ I glanced at Eraserhead who gave me a nod. I was allowed to respond.

"Yeah?"

"Eraserhead has informed us of your situation. Do you know where you're at right now?"

I blinked, unable to resist being a bit sassy now that I was allowed. "Tied up in a conference room."

Eraserhead smacked the back of my head, making me glare at him. "Don't talk back."

I huffed, grumbling under my breath. "I'm at some fancy hero school, right?"

The principal, Nezu, smiled like I hadn't just been scolded.

"That's correct. You are currently standing at the center of U.A. Academy, which has helped produce some of the world's greatest heroes."

_Whoo…_ I thought sarcastically, but Eraserhead must have known what I was thinking and smacked me again.

"We're actually about to have our entrance exams soon," Nezu mused.

_What is he getting at?_ "Okay, and?"

"Would you like to take them?"

My mind fizzled to a stop, leaving me slightly dumbfounded until my brain restarted. "W-What?"

"Would you like the opportunity to try and enter U.A.?" He repeated.

"M-Me? You're joking, right?"

"No. I am very serious."

I blinked. "You think some thieving street rat can be a hero?"

He placed his interlocked paws on the table in front of him. "I believe _anyone_ can be a hero. The better questions is: do _you_ believe you can be a hero?"

I hesitated. "Never thought about it."

I could read it in their faces. _What sort of kid never thinks about becoming a hero?_

"Well, now you have the chance to."

My brows furrowed, considering the offer and seeing the obvious flaws. "I can't afford a uniform if I get in."

"I'm sure we can provide you with one," he smiled, not commenting on the way my statement made it sound like I was confident I'd get into the school.

"I'm hardly in shape and my Quirk isn't that great."

"You can change into animals, right?" All Might said, holding up his hands in a shrug. "What's not great about that?"

I shot him a bland look. "I can't choose what I change into and I can only change twice before I'm stuck for an hour. _You_ try being inconspicuous in alleyways when you're stuck as a 140 kg grizzly bear."

He sweatdropped. "Right…"

"Either way, the decision is up to you," Nezu hummed. "Although, if you _do_ make it in, a room will be provided for you on campus and a weekly allowance for food and other necessities. We can't have our students living on the streets."

I narrowed my eyes. "You heard he offered me food to behave, didn't you?"

Nezu smiled innocently and I looked away with a huff.

"_Fine._ I'll take your exam. When is it?"

"The written exam is tomorrow."

"T-Tomorrow!"

His smile grew. "Good luck."

* * *

I groaned as I heartedly stuffed my face full of food more delicious than I could imagine. Eraserhead—Aizawa—simply watched me with a slight look of disgust.

"I understand not having much food, but do you _have_ to eat like you're starving?"

"I _am_ starving," I countered, sipping at my water and earning a raised brow. "Sorry, water's always been hard to get. Doesn't rain enough in this stupid city."

Aizawa had come to realize rather quickly how nonchalant I acted about my situation and never commented on my occasional verbal remarks about it. My situation was poor, but he never pitied me or anything and I loved him for that. I _was_ upset about being homeless, and complaining was my way of expressing my displeasure, not get sympathy. That being said, I hadn't expected him to try and hunt me down a few days after the written exam. He'd given me lunch, as promised, the first day we'd met, but found me today to inform me I'd passed and got me food to celebrate. Or, as close to celebrating as he could get.

"The practical exam is tomorrow. Have you prepared at all?" He asked, and I raised a brow.

"I change into animals. What's there to prepare for? And despite trying to save my food, I've been homeless too long to suddenly grow muscles and be fit."

"So, you _have_ been exercising."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, yes. I'm not stupid, but again, I can't exhaust myself or risk not having enough resources for later. _Especially_ if I don't pass."

"No confidence in yourself?"

"I'm a realist. I won't discount the chance that I won't get in."

Aizawa sighed, eating some of his own food. "Have you worked on extending the limits of your Quirk?"

I groaned. "Don't ruin my appetite."

"And?"

"Still can't choose what I turn into. Even when concentrating, I've only increased it slightly. One-in-three chance of getting what I want in three changes and it doesn't always work. I was stuck as a capuchin monkey yesterday while trying to become something that can fly."

He snorted around a mouthful of sushi and I shot him a bland look.

"You're lucky I was forced to stop taking money from people. That monkey would've been perfect."

"You're trying to be a hero, remember?"

"Yeah, I know. Though, if I'm back on the streets, I'm just gonna return to my usual routine."

"If you're back on the streets, I'll find you once a week and buy you lunch."

I froze, sushi dropping from my chopsticks inches from my mouth. "Really?"

He shrugged. "One meal a week won't punch a hole in my wallet."

I grinned. "Thanks, Aizawa!"

"It's _Eraserhead_, brat."

"It's _Hotaru_, _Aizawa_."

"Brat."

I chuckled, unable to help it after so long of having nothing to even smile about. _And if I get into U.A., then I'll have a whole lot more reasons to grin._

* * *

"Welcome one and all to my live show! Everybody say, 'Hey!'" Present Mic shouted to the crowd of students who remained silent. "I've got shivers down my spine too, listeners! All right, examinees, I'm gonna give you the low-down on how this will go down! Are you ready! Yeah!"

The place was still silent, though Midoriya was near hyperventilating in his amazement at being addressed by the pro hero.

"Now, pay close attention, listeners!" Present Mic went on, unaffected by the lack of enthusiasm he was being presented. "We'll be testing your mettle by running a ten-minute practice run at our replica city-district! You can take whatever you like! Everybody gather at the designated meeting area after the presentation, ya dig!"

Someone groaned to Midoriya's left and he blinked in surprise at the bored-looking figure bundled in coats.

"Can't they just ask if there're any questions about the rules they handed out?" The young woman grumbled, waving the stack of papers everyone had received. "It'd save us a hell of a lot of time and energy."

She looked to him, dull grey eyes latching onto his green ones and Midoriya swore there was a hint of recognition and annoyance in her eyes before she muttered an apology, turning her attention back to Present Mic. _Do I know her? M-Maybe we went to school together? I don't recognize her though._

"Excuse me, may I ask a question!" A dark-haired student shouted, drawing him out of his thoughts. "On the handout, there are clearly four types of villains listed! Such an error would be the height of embarrassment for a top-tier national academy of U.A.'s caliber! The reason we are seated here today is because we seek guidance on the path to becoming model heroes!"

"You tell 'em, Glasses." The girl beside Midoriya smirked before the man whipped around to point at him and scold him for his previous excitement.

"Okay, okay! Thanks for the segue, much-appreciated examinee 7111!" Present Mic called out as Midoriya sank into his chair in embarrassment. "The fourth type of villain you'll encounter is worth zero points! Let's call them 'arena traps!' Have any of you ever played 'Super Mario Brothers' before? You remember those things that'd go thwomp on you? There's a thing like that in each area! Their 'gimmick' is that they rampage when crowded!"

"Troublesome," the woman sighed, twirling a pinky in her ear for a moment.

"Y-You aren't worried?" Midoriya asked, immediately flinching when she glanced at him in surprise. "A-Ah, sorry! I shouldn't be bothering you."

"I don't mind and I'm not _that_ worried. The fourth villain seems like one of those 'leave me alone and I'll leave you alone' types. You see it, you run. No point in engaging. Waste of time. There's probably a catch though. They wouldn't put it in without making it special somehow. So, it's troublesome."

"I see…"

They were dismissed and Midoriya hastily stuck out his hand.

"I-I'm Izuku Midoriya."

She hesitated before shaking his hand.

"Hotaru Mirai. Good luck, Midoriya."

He managed a shaky smile. "Y-You too."

* * *

I picked at the tracksuit Aizawa had given me to use during the first task and unzipped the jacket. _I'll keep it on but leave it open. I can use the jacket as a distraction if need be but wearing this is pointless. I'll just change into an animal—hopefully, something useful—and the uniform won't matter anyway. Glad clothes aren't torn apart when I change though. It's hard enough getting resources as it is._ I stretched my arms and legs, knowing that running will be my top priority. _I could save people too for more points but seems a bit of a cop-out. Already knowing the rules is a pain. Though, I won't exactly stand by if there's someone close who's in trouble._ I sighed.

"Heroes, huh?"

I glanced over at Midoriya as Iida got a hold of him once more and people started to stare and murmur. _No one would think __**he**__ would be the one they all start to look up to._ Something in my chest ached, but I pushed the thought aside. _Jealousy is an ugly demon to have. Being envious of Midoriya? Suppose it shows just how bad my situation really is._

"And start!"

Everyone turned to the tower Present Mic was shouting from, except me. I bolted onto the scene and grit my teeth as warmth started to fill me. _Come on. Give me something good. Powerful._ My body shifted as I slipped into an alleyway out of sight as the rest figured out we'd started and burst in. I grinned though, sharp teeth shining under black, whiskered lips.

"_Perfect_," I growled, shaking out my fur and testing my claws on the concrete. "Got something good on the first try."

My ears perked as a robot moved into the alley to my left.

"Target lock-on."

Muscles rippled under my black coat, long tail flicking back and forth as a feral grin stretched across my lips.

"Target indeed. Hello, level two."

I rushed towards it and jumped, landing on the metal and easily sinking my teeth into the covering around the components in its neck. _No metal to break my teeth here. Two points to me._ The robot fell as I spat out the wires and bits, heading out of the alley to find more in other crevices. I took out a number of others, keeping to the shadows as much as I could and frightening a few in the process. A black beast my size in the dark only meant they saw my bright, light-catching yellow eyes as oil from the robots dripped from my jaws like blood. One of those people just _happened_ to be the main hero himself.

"W-W-What! A-A panther? _Here_? H-How!"

"Quirks are interesting, yeah?" I smirked as his eyes widened more at my speaking and I slipped back into the dark.

Then, the earth quaked, and my eyes turned to the giant robot that had been released on us. _This is why I said it was troublesome, _I mused with a sigh. I rushed out of the way as its clumsy hand destroyed the top of a nearby building by the alleyway I was in—dropping large amounts of debris. It was easy for my slim, lithe body to dodge the falling bits, but I begrudgingly knew I needed to get out so the alleys and out in the open or risk getting crushed when the adrenaline wore off. _I'm already getting tired. I'm not fit enough to do much more of this._ I skidded out onto the main road as wanna-be heroes rushed away from the giant. The only one who wasn't was the frozen Midoriya. I went to hurry past him, but stopped, groaning.

"Dammit." I doubled back and nudged him with my head. "Oi, unless you wanna get crushed, you better move, Midoriya!"

He finally turned away from the giant to blink at me. "W-Who?"

"Not the time!" I grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him away from a large falling piece of concrete.

"T-Thanks!" He stuttered out as I let him go before my ears perked up at a groan.

"O-Ouch."

It was Uraraka, who was exhausted from overworking her Quirk and in pain from being tripped and hit by lighter falling rubble. _Do I go get her? _The robot was already moving closer. _But this is Midoriya's time to shine. _It was even closer as Midoriya started to charge up some power in his arm and legs. _Goddammit! This is why I didn't want to get involved with him!_ I growled, rushing toward the fallen student and calling to Midoriya.

"Go! Take care of the robot while I pull her out of the way! Go, Midoriya!"

He jumped, screaming as he swung his fist at the giant and I was glad I had chosen to grab Uraraka. While Midoriya had stopped the robot, he'd knocked it into nearby buildings and pieces of it and them were already rushing for her. I slipped my head under her arm, startling her.

"Hold on, quickly!"

Her arms wrapped around my neck and I bolted away from the dangerous area, dodging debris as I went. Then, I heard Midoriya's scream. _Shit! I forgot! Uraraka is supposed to save him!_ I turned and rushed towards where he was falling, speaking quickly.

"I'm going to jump after him to catch him, but if I want to make it in time, I need your help. You can control gravity, yeah?"

"I-I have anti-gravity. Anything I touch floats."

"When I jump, make me lighter to reach him faster. Then, reach out and touch him so when I grab him, we won't plummet to the ground and my legs won't break. Can you manage that? You've already overworked your Quirk."

Her expression went serious. "Yes."

"On my cue!" I ran up a piece of rubble and just as my back legs pushed off the rock, I shouted. "Now!"

I was weightless, but rushing at Midoriya fast, just as I hoped. I grabbed his tracksuit in my teeth and Uraraka carefully landed us on the ground. She thankfully rolled off my back before vomiting and I let out a soft sigh as Present Mic's voice called out.

"The test is over!"

Midoriya dropped his head and I hesitantly went over, nudging his head as everyone gossiped in shock at what he'd accomplished.

"Oi, you conscious, Midoriya?"

He let out a grumble, informing me that he was more moping and in pain than anything, and I sighed.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," I huffed, lying down beside him and being careful not to bump his injuries. "Saving someone is worth more than some stupid exam."

He quivered, uninjured hand clenching and the scent of salt reached my nose.

I looked away awkwardly. "D-Don't cry. You're a hero, moron."

"T-Thank you," he breathed out and I grunted as he fell unconscious.

* * *

I eyed Aizawa as he hopped along in his sleeping bag towards the classroom. "Remind me again why I'm here?" I questioned, tugging at the tie around my neck. "And did they really have to wait so long before sending the results? That was another month on the streets for me with only garbage to eat until you all let me move into the dorm."

"You passed, and we didn't have an address to send you that information. So, they sent me to find you." He yawned, making me smirk.

"Took you longer than usual then? You must have been looking for me all morning."

An arm snapped out and smacked the back of my head before vanishing.

"I didn't _have_ to find you, you know."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I am eternally grateful, sensei."

His eyes narrowed but I nimbly dodged another hit only to bump into someone.

"Sorry," I apologized to a surprised Uraraka.

"Oh! It's fine!"

"If you're gonna be hunting for buddies, do it elsewhere," Aizawa grumbled from his position on the ground behind me where he'd fallen over. "This is the department of heroics!" He slurped an energy drink as the students murmured uneasily, standing and shedding his sleeping bag. "I'm your homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shouta. Pleasure meeting you." He reached into the sleeping bag and pulled out a uniform. "Wear these, immediately. And then shove off to the PE grounds."

The uniform was shoved into my hands and I sighed as I headed back out of the class to do as he said. Once there, he stunned the other students by explaining the second test to ensure our positions in the school.

"A Quirk apprehension test?"

"What about the ceremony and guidance counselor meeting?"

"If you want to be heroes, we don't have time for frilly niceties. You all understand the school's reputation for freedom on campus," Aizawa grumbled. "Well, that 'freedom' goes for us teachers too."

I scratched the back of my head as he rattled off some of the tasks we were going to be doing, yawning until something whacked me in the forehead.

"Pay attention, Hotaru."

I rubbed at the reddening spot with a grumble of complaint, glaring at the ball on the ground that he'd thrown.

"Bakugou, pick up the ball. How far could you pitch a softball in middle school?" Aizawa asked as the angry blond picked up the ball at my feet and moved towards the softball pitch circle.

"Sixty-seven meters."

"Try using your Quirk this time around. As long as you don't exit the circle, anything you do is fine. Don't hold back."

"You got it." Bakugou chucked the ball with an _insane_ amount of force. "Die!"

The group blinked as it became a smoking speck in the sky. _I hope someone catches these things before they club some unsuspecting pedestrian._

"Before anything else, one must know what they're capable of," Aizawa said, showing us the meter that measured the distance of the ball thrown. "This is a rational metric that will form the basis of your 'hero foundation.'"

The students around me grinned, thrilled to be allowed to use their Quirks, but Aizawa darkened.

"It looks fun, you say? So, you were planning to spend your three years here having a good ol' time? What happened to becoming heroes? All right, then. In that case, new rule. The student who ranks the last in total points will be judged 'hopeless' and instantly expelled."

_So? Like I care, _I mused, before it hit me. _Wait. I get some crap animal in three shots, I fail. I know Aizawa won't expel anyone, but… that could change with me, couldn't it? And if I get expelled, no dorm, no food. I'll be back on the streets. Aizawa probably won't go looking for me either. I… I would be alone on the streets again. I'd be powerless when things go to shit with the League of Villains and Stain. I… I __**can't**__ be expelled._ I grit my teeth, fists clenched at my side as my mind whirled.

_Okay, think. There were eight tasks Aizawa mentioned and I have three chances to get something good. Very few animals could do all of these well, so I need one that could do well in a majority of the tasks. I could get three duds. Hell, I could get something good last try and by then, it'll be too late. Do I risk changing three times if my first one isn't good?_

"Hotaru, you're up."

I grimaced, stepping up to the fifty-meter dash and making a quick decision. _Won't use Quirk for this one. I'm quick without it thanks to running away from people I pickpocket. Trying to get a fast animal would be pointless. I'd only need it for this and the endurance running. _I dashed the fifty meters and let out a breath at the end, hardly winded.

"5:45."

_Nice. After this is grip strength. Again, no point in using my Quirk. I'd need a monkey or ape with opposable thumbs._ I managed twenty-seven kgs barely, having not built up enough strength while out on the streets. From there, I stepped up to the standing long jump. _Ugh, something that jumps? Rabbit, kangaroo, frog… I suppose anything that pounces might work better than me. I'll have to change. I can use whatever I get for this and the next challenge, the sideways jump._ Closing my eyes, I concentrated as warmth filled my body, ignoring the murmuring of curious students behind me._ Come on, jumping animal. Good at jumping and __**not**__ tiny._

"Awe, it's so cute!"

I opened my eyes and scowled as I stared at my slow-moving, long arms with claws. "A sloth? This is the _least_ helpful!" I snapped to the snickers of a few of the guys and I forced myself to change again.

"That's even cuter!"

Thankfully, what I changed into this time around _looked_ like it'd jump decently far. _What am I? Some kind of tiny goat-deer?_

"It's a Klipspringer!" Iida exclaimed, making me blink. "It's a pro at jumping up cliffs, so this challenge should be a cinch!"

I was a bit uncertain but took his word for it and jumped. I was stunned to discover I jumped a good thirty-five to forty meters and stuck around as a tiny deer for the sideways jumps as well. Unfortunately, the ball pitch was next, and I couldn't throw as a hooved animal, so I was left hoping that my final change would let me throw _and_ leave me flexible enough for the other exercises. I already had some hope of doing well with the endurance running, so I wasn't concerned as much with that. _Let's just pray I get something good. A monkey would be great right about now. _I stepped up to the ball pitch and changed once more, opening my eyes and growling at the sight of what I was.

"Goddammit! Can't I just change into something useful!" I cursed, stomping a foot heatedly into the ground over and over again in my frustration.

The others were getting a kick out of it though, snickering opening as some of the girls cooed. It seemed my previous need for wanting an animal good at jumping had carried over and I huffed as I crossed my arms over my furry white chest. _A rabbit. A damn rabbit! What use is this! The ball is nearly half my size and I'm stuck this way for the next hour!_ Aizawa passed me the ball with an amused look himself and my brow twitched in annoyance. I snatched the ball, leaned back and kicked it as far as I could, still ending up with the lowest score. _Midoriya wasn't even using his quirk too Damn, I might end up on the bottom the way this is going. Good on the two jumping tasks, average on the running, and shit on the rest. I might get average on the seated toe-touch and the endurance running, but it won't put me high up, that's for sure._

I grimaced, struggling with the upper body exercises as a rabbit and by the end of it all, I was more than frustrated with the limitations of my Quirk. _I'm last. I have to be. Even Midoriya should have done better. He beat me with the grip, the pitch, upper body exercises and barely passed me on the endurance running. I didn't train enough. __**Couldn't**__, with my situation. I could be expelled, I… __**should be**__ expelled. I didn't even __**want**__ to be a hero. Why would they keep me?_

"Time to present the results," Aizawa called out, though I stared at the ground in frustration. "The total is simply the aggregate sum of each of your scores. If I recited all your scores, it'd take a million years, so I'll disclose them all at once."

_And now, I'm expelled._

"Oh, yeah. That whole 'expulsion' thing was a lie. It was a logical ruse to pull out your best performances."

"What!"

_Doesn't matter. I don't deserve to be here._

He passed Midoriya a slip to see Recovery Girl as my gaze finally lifted to look at the hologram displaying our scores. _Rank twenty-one, Hotaru Mirai… dead last…_ I turned to where Aizawa had walked off and hopped after him, stepping around the corner as he spoke to All Might.

"I can kick out anyone whose chances drop below that mark at any time. It's not a cruel thing to end the half-assed chasing of a dream."

"So, why didn't you expel me?"

He and All Might both turned to me, though I ignored the slightly surprised gaze of All Might.

"Do you _want_ to be expelled?" Aizawa asked evenly.

I clenched my fists. "You said it yourself. Kill the half-assed dream. I don't even _have_ a dream to be a hero. I'm not like Midoriya or the others. I can't control my Quirk. I got the lowest score. The only reason I tried was because I don't want to lose what you're giving me. I only tried for food and a damn roof over my head. Why didn't you _expel_ me?"

They were both silent for a moment as my anger grew, bringing with it the familiar sting of tears to my eyes.

"Do you know why you passed the initial ceremony?"

"What does that matter?" I spat. "Passing that doesn't mean _anything_ if I can't get expelled here."

He narrowed his eyes at me, them flaring red and allowing me to return to being human once more. "Answer the question."

"I don't know. Because I got enough points? You didn't explain anything to me when you brought me here this morning."

"The amount of points you had would have allowed you to pass, which I'm sure you knew. You're not idiotic enough to not keep track of how many you were earning," he said, still eyeing me. "_However_, even knowing that you could pass, you doubled back when the zero-point robot showed up. You stopped without needing to, to ensure Midoriya could get up as well."

"So? We met earlier. He was spooked. I didn't want him to get stepped on."

"That's no consequence of yours." He shrugged. "Everyone else left. Not only that, but you worked together with him to save someone you _didn't_ know. Was that a fluke too? Or should I bring up the fact that you saved Midoriya again after that?"

I grit my teeth, knowing he'd gotten me there, and he sighed.

"Despite how far you go to deny it, you _do_ have the capacity to be a hero and think like one. You might _act_ selfish, but you have shown selflessness as well—a quality expected in heroes."

"But I _failed_ this test."

"And we are _both_ aware of your Quirk's limitations. A one-in-three chance of getting something useful and the percentage of that happening being low to begin with."

"So, why—"

"_Because_," he cut me off, "despite your limits, you were able to discern the best possible tests to attempt to use it. _Because_ I know from the ceremony that you have the selfless drive to be a hero and think quickly to come up with the best possible uses of your Quirk, I have passed you."

I flinched when he reached out, but instead of the usual whack to the head, he just pushed it into a slight bow.

"No one was expected to be perfect on this test. You're all still learning about your Quirks and what it actually means to be a hero. Working on improving yourself is what we're trying to accomplish, so if you go around trying to get yourself expelled, then you're a bigger idiot than I thought."

"I hate you."

"Not surprising."

"You're a lazy, cranky, sleeping-bag covered wrinkly old man who talks too much."

"_Brat—_"

"Thank you," I murmured, "for everything."

He let me go and scratched the back of his head with a yawn. "Don't get cocky, kid. I only picked you up cos I was bored."

"Sure thing, old man," I chirped, making his eye twitch as I lifted my head with a cheeky grin.

I was nearly thrown to the ground though when All Might slapped my back good-naturedly.

"Haha! I look forward to seeing you try your best, Young Hotaru!"

"C-Can't do that if you break my back the first day, you over-powered nut job!"

I was promptly smacked upside the back of the head by Aizawa.

"Respect your teachers, brat, and go get changed. If you're quick, I'll pay for dinner."

My eyes lit up. "Really?"

"I doubt you've had enough time to shop for supplies and—"

"Whoo! I'll be right back!"

I raced off as Aizawa sighed, missing All Might's grin widen.

"You have a good student, Aizawa."

"She's your student too," he grumbled.

"That she is!"


	2. Chapter 2

The following day was already starting off as exhausting. The "normal" classes before noon were too easy with my background. _A near thirty-year-old getting regressed into a middle schooler in an anime learning English? Piece of cake, even with Present Mic's screaming._ Lunch was a more pleasing affair, leaving me full and content midway through the day for the first time in years. After that though, came the hero course and I knew which one was next. _Heroes versus villains. Depending on what I get with my Quirk, it could go well or terribly wrong. Deciding on using all three tries right off is a problem too. If I'm lucky, I can use a change as a surprise, but the chances of two decent changes would be exceedingly rare. I can only hope things go well and I get paired with someone decent—_

"It's me! Through the door like a normal person!"

I snorted with a roll of my eyes. _And All Might's teaching. Don't know why he acts so bull-headed and stupid when there's a decent mind under all that bravado._

"For this class, we'll be building up your hero foundation through various trials!" He flexed and thrust a sign in our direction. "The trial of battle! And to go with your first battle, we've prepared the gear we had you sign in requests for to match your Quirks!"

"Our battle gear! Awesome!"

I wasn't nearly as thrilled. I hadn't done any costume designing or request form. So, as the others went to find their cases, I went up to All Might.

"Hey, I didn't get any form or anything, so what do I wear?"

"Aizawa was in charge of preparing something for you, Young Hotaru!" He gave me a thumbs-up and shoved a case into my arms. "I hope it is to your liking!"

"Oh, thanks, I guess," I muttered, moving back toward my seat and hearing whispers as I did.

"You hear that?"

"Yeah. Aizawa-sensei made her costume."

"Talk about special treatment."

"Right? I thought I saw her yesterday with him and All Might too. After the test."

"What? No way!"

"How else would she get in? Did you see her score?"

"Dead last."

I ignored the comments, partially agreeing with them. I _had_ gotten special treatment, but I worked for it too. I don't accept free handouts. I pushed the thoughts from my mind though, heading to the locker room with the rest of the girls to change, kind of curious what Aizawa would have gotten me. _Not that there's anything an outfit could really add to my Quirk since it vanishes the moment I change._

"Ah! I've been meaning to talk to you!"

I looked over at Uraraka as I removed my shirt. "Hm?"

She grinned, rubbing the back of her neck. "I never got a chance to thank you for helping me back to the ceremony. I'm Ochako Uraraka, by the way! Nice to meet you!"

I shook her outstretched hand before clicking open the suitcase with my hero outfit. "Hotaru Mirai."

"Right, I just wanted to say thanks. We didn't see you after class yesterday or Midoriya and I would have said it then. Did you leave early because you live far away?"

I shook my head, pulling out the white t-shirt and raising a brow before slipping it on along with a set of loose black pants. "No. I live on campus. Don't need to leave."

"Whoa, really? How!"

I leaned back, catching sight of others listening in. "I-I, uh… had nowhere else to go, so they gave me a place here if I got in."

"Why do you get special treatment?" One of the girls in the back questioned and I recognized her as Momo Yayorozu.

Funnily enough, I don't think she was being snarky with the question—just genuinely curious.

"It's… not special treatment, per se. They just basically said I can't make the school look bad."

"What! That's so mean! Why would they say that?"

I gave Uraraka a disbelieving look. _A-Are they serious? I thought my shitty clothes at the ceremony gave it away, but I guess not._ "Because I'm homeless."

You could hear a pin drop; the room became so quiet, the only sound being me tying up a pair of black combat boots.

"W-What?" Uraraka finally said.

"I'm homeless," I repeated, bluntly. "Thought people knew by the way I was dressed at the ceremony. Those were my best coats, but, eh." I shrugged. "Still screamed 'dirty beggar.'"

"Whoa, hold on a second." Kyoka Jiro stopped, pointing at me with one of her headphone jacks. "You're serious?"

"What reason would I have to joke?" I asked, lifting my shirt and pointing at my side. "Look, you can see my ribs."

A tongue slapped the hand holding my shirt, making me drop it as Tsuyu Asui gave me a look.

"That's not something to be proud of, ribbit."

I shrugged again, slipping on a dark green, fur-lined hooded coat. "Just saying. The school basically said they'd give me a place to stay, allowance and a uniform should I get in. 'Can't have one of our students being homeless,' or something. I passed, so here I am."

There was a loud sniff and I hardly had time to blink before Uraraka was suffocating me with a hug.

"I'm so sorry! It must have been so hard!"

"A-Ah, um, kind of? Food's kind of a big deal for me but, uh… still alive, you know? Though n-not if you don't allow me the chance to breathe."

She let me go as the others cracked a few smiles while we finished changing. "You have to eat with me at lunch next time, okay?" She commanded. "And if you ever need anything, come find me."

"Uh, sure," I blinked in surprise as she grinned and Yayorozu nodded.

"That goes for the rest of us as well. Class 1-A needs to stick together, even in hardship. I'll take you shopping if you need clothes or anything."

"O-Okay, but I'm good, really. U.A. is basically giving me what I need, and my Quirk's not even that great, so it's no big deal."

We all headed out to where we were going to meet All Might and the others.

"What is your Quirk anyway?"

"I can change into animals. Three times, then I'm stuck for an hour. It's random, but I've been working on getting what I want."

"Sounds rough."

I shrugged as we joined the others, and All Might began to explain the battle trial.

"This will be an indoor battle trial! Villain cleanup is usually seen out in the open, but statistically, the better part of it is an indoor job. Most acts of villainy are committed indoors. Imprisonment, house arrest, black market. In this hero-saturated society why, any villain with intelligence is lurking in the shadows. For this test, you'll separate into 'villain' and 'hero' groups for a two-on-two team battle!"

"What about foundational training?" Asui asked.

"This _is_ foundational training!"

Questions immediately began cropping up as I rubbed the back of my neck. _He really is new to this. Probably thought we'd all just accept what he says because he's the "great hero" All Might._ Once he quieted everyone, he pulled out a paper to read to us as the exercise he'd come up with.

"For this training, we'll have some 'villains' guard a nuclear weapon they intend on deploying! The heroes must stop them and their nefarious scheme before it's too late! If the heroes capture the villains or reach the nuclear core before the time runs out, they win. If the villains manage to keep the core the whole time or capture the heroes, they win. Your teammates will be chosen by lottery!"

I raised my hand an all eyes went to me. "There's twenty-one of us. Because it's uneven, will there be a team of one or a team of three?"

"Everyone will be on a team of two except you!" He declared, making me wince as murmurs started up. "After teams are decided, I will decide whether you will be placed on a team of three or on your own to fight a team that will go twice."

"Well, gee, thanks," I complained, but he gave me a cheerful thumbs-up.

"You're welcome!"

I clenched a fist. _That git! Doesn't he see the target he's placed on my back? It's like U.A. is going out of their way to make my life here shit!_ The groups went up and got their teams—a few girls patting my back in good luck—and then All Might picked the first heroes and villains.

"Pair A will be heroes! Pair D will be villains! Will either of you wish to have young Hotaru join your group?"

"We don't need any help!" Bakugou snapped, but Uraraka raised her hand.

"She can join us!"

All Might looked back at Bakugou. "Is that all right to Pair D?"

"They'll need all the help they can get," Bakugou spat and All Might nodded.

"Young Hotaru will join Pair A then! Now, the scenario has the villains inside the building first! Then, after five minutes, the heroes will be let in as well! Everyone else will be able to watch what unfolds through the surveillance cameras! This will allow Young Iida and Young Bakugou to get inside the heads of villain-kind! This is a practical training exercise! So, go all out without fear of injury! Though naturally, we'll cut it short if things get out of hand…"

_Forget what I said earlier about him having a brain in there somewhere. He's a moron who just gave a hot-head permission to maim us._ I looked over at the slip of paper he'd given us with a map of the building. _And isn't this cheating? Heroes won't know the layout of a building before they enter._

"It doesn't seem like there are many penalties like with Aizawa-sensei, so I'm relieved," Uraraka smiled until she got a look at Midoriya. "You don't look relieved! Even you, Hotaru."

I gave her a look. "He gave Mr. Hot-Head permission to fry us and my Quirk isn't always dependable. So, no. I'm not thrilled."

Midoriya agreed. "Sorry. My opponent is Kacchan and Iida too. I guess I'm just… really tense."

"I remember now. It was Bakugou who keeps bullying you…" Uraraka realized and I eyed Midoriya.

_It __**is**__ bullying, but no one ever does anything about it. It's kind of friendly competition but… not friendly? I don't know. It's borderline; in the grey. I'd offer to help but I wouldn't know what to do, and Midoriya would undoubtedly wave me off saying it's fine._ I sighed. _Bullying isn't fine._

"I hate his guts," Midoriya admitted, "but I also admire him. His ambition, his confidence, his strength, his Quirk. He's better than me in a hundred different ways. All the same, this time, I feel I don't want to lose if that makes sense."

"So, then this must be fate! The bonds between men!"

"Oh, man. I'm sorry for blabbing on about something that has nothing to do with you…" he murmured, returning to his sheepish demeanor.

"It does too! We're a team now, aren't we? Let's do our best!" Uraraka cheered and as we started to head for the building, I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You shouldn't compare yourself to others when you have your own strengths and ambitions that are just as good as his."

"Hotaru…"

I eyed him seriously. "And there is no excuse for bullying, so don't expect me to stand by like everyone else if he starts going off on you."

He stiffened and went to argue, but I walked ahead to join Uraraka, leaving him with no room to consider me or stop me. _He doesn't need to know I'm jealous of __**him**__. _We slipped in through a window then and I stopped them before we moved further in.

"Should I try and get a decent animal now? I have three shots and there's very little chance I'll get something good, but if we come up with a plan, I might be able to get something to help."

Midoriya nodded. "Save them for a plan for now."

I raised a brow. "Even though we both know Bakugou is going to charge head-first at us?"

He went rigid as Uraraka looked between us uncertainly, but he nodded again.

"Yes."

Silence passed between us for a moment before I shrugged, lightening up the atmosphere.

"All right. Onwards then."

"We started walking, peering around corners before I sensed him. Not "sensed" like a Quirk, but one tends to pick up things on the streets, such as knowing who is more dangerous than others and who to avoid. It was probably why I was able to pull Midoriya and Uraraka out of the way as Bakugou slammed a flaming fist into the wall where we'd been.

"Dammit, Deku, don't dodge me!" Bakugou snapped, making to attack again. "I'll blow you away, but just short of getting this interrupted!"

Midoriya grabbed his arm and threw him over his shoulder as I came up with a quick plan and murmured to Uraraka.

"We need to find out where the core is. Bakugou is here, but Iida's not, so he's probably with it. See if you can find it but keep your distance and hang back. I'll stick with Midoriya. Bakugou's distracted with him, but Midoriya will need help since he's kind of lost it. Go!"

She nodded and rushed off as Bakugou continued to fight Midoriya. _He knows him better than I do, but we don't have a plan. I need to get him out of here. Need to find an opening… Now!_ I dove under Bakugou's fiery punch and grabbed the back of Midoriya's uniform, pulling him around a corner and down a hall.

"Get back here, Deku!" Bakugou shouted, too far behind to catch up just yet. "Where are you! You tricked me, didn't you! Were you having a laugh all this time! Well! Your Quirk is actually pretty damn flashy, ain't it! Why don't you use it since mine is even stronger!"

The shouts died out and I pulled to a stop to let Midoriya catch his breath.

"I sent Uraraka to find the location of the core," I informed him, keeping an ear out for even the slightest noise. "Iida's smart though and he knows her Quirk. He knows we'll split up with Bakugou on your tail, but I'm the odd one out. He won't know if I left or stayed, but I don't doubt that he prepped for Uraraka and got rid of any debris she could use. We need a plan." I shot him a small glare. "Preferably one that doesn't involve you doing something reckless and getting toasted by Hot-Head."

"_Deku! Hotaru!_" Uraraka's voice came over our ear comms.

I groaned. "You got spotted, didn't you?"

"Where are you?" Midoriya asked.

"_The middle room on the fifth floor._"

"Above us," I muttered and Midoriya nodded.

"We don't have that much time left and—"

I covered his mouth and pulled him around the corner just as Bakugou moved into the hall we'd been in.

"Why don't you use it? Are you looking down on me? Deku—"

I poked my head around the corner, giving Bakugou a dull look as I kept my hand over Midoriya's mouth to keep him quiet.

"Anyone ever tell you, you need anger-management, Hot-Head?"

He bristled, hands sparking. "Piss off, mutt! Where's Deku!"

"Sent him to the core," I shrugged, earning a growl as he started to stomp past. "Oh, shame on you, walking away?"

"My business is with Deku," he growled, and I grit my teeth, changing into something surprisingly useful.

"I hate single-minded punks like you."

I threw my black-furred arm up and grabbed ahold of a pipe in the ceiling, jerking it down with enough force to tear chunks from the ceiling down on top of Bakugou. Huffing, I bared my teeth, facing the rubble as a silver-backed gorilla.

"I finally get a good change and I have to waste it on you," I huffed again before my ears picked up a tell-tale "click."

I jerked to the right and grabbed Midoriya, diving out of the way as a _huge_ fiery blast went off. I ignored the stinging in my back and cursed under my breath as Bakugou rose from the rubble, murder in his eyes.

"Deku. Use your Quirk. I'm gonna break you and that mutt at your full strength."

"Don't know if I should be thrilled or worried that he's acknowledged me, to be honest," I muttered. "You have a plan yet, Midoriya?"

"U-Um…"

"Now's not the time to be dealing with your past childhood issues, you know. We're doing a test and there are other people involved. A plan. _Now_."

Bakugou rushed at me with a straight punch. "Stay out of this, mutt!"

I went to hit him before hearing a "click" and remembering his maneuver where he jumps over Midoriya. I twisted as he went to do just that, falling on my back and using my legs to kick him away—much to his surprise. The move hurt my burnt back and a gorilla wasn't exactly meant to be flexible enough to pull it off, and I cursed when my Quirk did something new. It changed without me meaning to.

"_Shit_!" I spat, rushing towards Midoriya. "Now is _not_ the time to be a ferret!"

Bakugou was faster than me though, kicking me away and charging at Midoriya. I slammed into the wall, praying that my Quirk would treat my injuries as if I was still human because with the amount of force put into the kick I would surely be one dead or crippled ferret. I fell to the ground with a cringe, looking over at Midoriya just as I got a hold of Uraraka.

"I-I've got a plan. Grab the pillar and hang on!"

"_On it!_"

Midoriya's eyes caught mine as Bakugou threw him to the ground and I knew he'd figured it out. He got up and rushed to the wall that would be just below the pillar as I hurried over, prepped to change.

"Why won't you use your goddamn Quirk already! You looking down on me!" Bakugou shouted. "Ever since we were little kids, you've always been like that!"

"That's not it," Midoriya muttered, but Bakugou wasn't listening.

"You looking down on me, fuckface! Huh!"

"Kacchan, it's because you're amazing that I wanna win!" He shouted back, both of them prepping to attack. "I wanna win and surpass you! How do you not get that, dumbass!"

"Knock that expression off your fucking nerd face!"

"I'm here, Uraraka!" Midoriya shouted just inches from Bakugou's fully charged fist and I changed, leaping forward.

Explosions rang out as Midoriya used the power of his fist to blow out the upper floors to provide rubble for Uraraka. Bakugou's blast, however, was shot far to the right, missing a stunned Midoriya completely. I had somehow made it and had grabbed Bakugou's arm in my jaws, shoving the blast away just in time. I dropped his arm with a sigh of relief, ears dropping as my tail flicked back and forth.

"Y-You're lucky I got a damn tiger. Two for three is a damn miracle," I breathed out as Bakugou looked up in shock.

"You're telling me that… from the very beginning… I knew it. You are looking down on me…!"

Midoriya sagged against the wall. "I wasn't planning on using it because I actually can't. My body isn't able to take the strain from this Quirk… Aizawa-sensei told me, too… but I… This was the only thing… I could do and Hotaru came up with it."

"_The heroes… The hero team wins!_" All Might proudly declared over the intercom and Midoriya started to fall.

I stepped in front of him, giving him my back to brace himself, which made me cringe. "O-Oi, careful."

"S-Sorry. I can't… feel my legs."

I glanced at his quaking knees and nudged him with my head, so he was sitting on the ground. "Then sit, moron."

"Heh, heh."

I stiffened then, turning towards Bakugou with a low growl, fur on end. He wasn't taking the loss well and I could _feel_ how one little move might set him off. Thankfully, All Might stepped in and placed a hand on his shoulder to snap him out of it.

"Let's go back, Bakugou my boy. It's time for your critique."

A couple of robots rolled over with a stretcher to take Midoriya to the nurse, but I waved them off. Recovery Girl couldn't heal me until I changed back as far as I knew, and I could hardly feel it anyway.

"Hm, I'd say the best in this match was Young Iida and Young Hotaru!"

"Huh?" We both gaped.

_I mean, Iida I understand, but me?_

"But weren't the winners Hotaru, Midoriya, and Ochako?" Asui asked as All Might looked around.

"I wonder why I could possibly think so! Who knows why!"

Yayorozu raised her hand. "It's because Iida and Hotaru were the ones who adapted most to the situation. Having watched the fight, Bakugou's behavior was clearly driven by some personal grudge, and thus totally arbitrary. Furthermore, just as you told us earlier, sensei, a large-range attack in an indoor arena is just idiotic. The same reasoning goes for Midoriya. Uraraka's game got loose halfway through and her final attack was too reckless."

Uraraka winced as she went on.

"Iida devised a counter-strategy against an opponent because he correctly supposed the match would revolve around the core. While he was too slow in reacting to that last attack, I believe the hero team's so-called 'victory' is being too nice in calling this 'just training,' and that gets dangerously close to skirting the spirit of the rules." Her gaze shifted to me then. "As for Hotaru, she was able to predict where the biggest threat would come from and chose to double-up with Midoriya instead of leaving him to deal with Bakugou on his own. On top of that, she kept calm and focused on the objective and strategy-making while also keeping Midoriya safe. She even attempted to draw _his_ focus back towards the end goal and used her unreliable Quirk in the best possible way while adapting to it and the situation. And although the hero team's end plan was destructive and reckless, considering the position they were in, her plan would have worked considerably well if done on a smaller, less… _explosive_ scale. The hero team's winning might have only been possible because of her level-head."

I blinked in surprise at the compliments, rather stunned that I was being credited with so much. _Especially since they would have won without me. I just kept the damage to Midoriya to a minimum._ The next group went up and when I finally changed back, I cringed—something All Might noticed.

"Young Hotaru, I do believe you should go see Recovery Girl now that your Quirk wore off. Do not worry about returning here. I will see you and Young Midoriya there before class ends!"

I gave him a blank-faced thumbs-up and headed out, starting to feel the aches and stings now that I'd changed back. _Damn, his kick. He might have broken a rib, _I mused with a slight wheeze, hand wrapped around my side. _And what was up with my Quirk suddenly changing me like that? Was it because… Oh, it was, wasn't it? I did something a gorilla shouldn't be capable of, so it changed me into something that could. It changed me into a more flexible animal: a ferret. Great. Yet another limit I have to be careful about._ I sighed, cringing as my ribs as I entered the nurse's office. Midoriya was dozing in a bed nearby, cast on his arm and Recovery Girl whipped towards me with a heated glare. I stiffened, back twinging at the movement, but the look vanished at my apparent pain.

"Oh, dear. Another one? Just what is he having you do?" She huffed, and I realized her look from before had been for All Might.

_Ooh, boy. He's in trouble._ "I was actually on his team," I said, pointing at Midoriya "I just didn't think your Quirk worked on animals and waited until my Quirk wore off."

She clicked her tongue at me, whacking my leg with her cane, earning a wince. "Do you think my Quirk wouldn't work on those with animal attributes then?"

_Shit didn't think of that. _"Um… I-I wasn't sure."

"Then come in anyway," she chided, gesturing to a bed. "Now, let me see what I can do for you."

Surprisingly enough, she checked me over like a normal physician before nodding to herself.

"Fractured ribs and third-degree burns. I can heal most of it, however, you need to eat more and build up your strength," she scolded me. "I understand that your previous position has made that difficult, but you are a U.A. student now. I expect you to work yourself up to peak condition, Hotaru. A hero must remember to take care of themselves too and anything more than this, and I wouldn't be able to heal you much at all."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good," she said, kissing my back—_gross_—and causing me to feel rather drained as I was healed. "Now, relax. I will wake you up when it is time to go."

I grunted, removing my coat and boots and lying down on my stomach in the bed—closing my eyes with a sigh. _It's nice… to be cared for and worried about… I… missed it._

* * *

I was woken up by Midoriya instead of Recovery Girl, but it hardly mattered either way. I would have punched either one. Being woken up by someone on the streets was never a good thing.

"U-Um, are you okay, Hotaru?"

I slowly let go of the startled Midoriya's shirt. "Sorry. I'm not used to people waking me."

He seemed confused, but hastily brushed my comment off and dropped into a deep bow despite his cast. "T-Thank you for earlier. With Kacchan and the rest. You shouldn't have gotten hurt because of me."

I shot him an annoyed look as I started to put my shoes and coat back on. "Damn right, I shouldn't have."

He flinched, lifting his head in worry.

"Honestly, you two should settle your damn grudges during your own time, but… it's his fault too. You're not entirely at fault here," I grumbled, shoving his head back down and ruffling his hair. "You're welcome."

He grinned as we both went back to the classroom to get our things and I groaned.

"Aizawa's gonna be pissed I found another limit of my Quirk," I grumbled a complaint, having explained to Midoriya why I'd suddenly changed into a ferret during the test. "Getting hurt just made it worse."

Midoriya nodded in agreement. "H-He won't be happy I got hurt using my Quirk either."

"Yeah, but you can at least _work_ on your Quirk's output. I've tried and it's still luck of the draw. I'm just damn lucky I haven't ended up a fish at any point."

We both sighed heavily and opened the classroom door only to get jumped by our classmates.

"Oh, hey, Midoriya! Nice job back there! You too, Hotaru!" Kirishima grinned. "Well, I couldn't hear what you were saying, but that was some heated standoff, man!"

"You dodged like a champ, Hotaru!" Ashido smirked.

"That first match up was so intense it fired us all up!" Sato fist-pumped.

_Ugh, too crowded._ I slipped past them only to get caught by Kirishima as they all introduced themselves.

"Pipe down," Tokoyami complained as I managed to get out of the group again, huffing and panting by his side.

"They're insane."

He snorted at that before Iida suddenly began shouting.

"Stop sitting on the desk! Stop this instant!"

Tokoyami begrudgingly did as he said, and everyone started to gather their things. Iida spotted me taking my time though, and when I made to head in another direction than the others, he stopped me—voice loud as always and catching everyone else's attention.

"You are going the wrong way, Hotaru!"

I blinked at him. "No, I live on campus."

"Eh!"

I grimaced at everyone's shouts, rubbing at my ear. "Geeze, is it really that shocking? I thought the girls would have told everyone already."

"It's your story to tell," Asui shrugged. "We're not going to just spill."

"Hold on, tell us what?" Kirishima questioned.

"The reason why I live on campus and am close to Aizawa-sensei," I replied, giving him and the others cautious looks. "I was homeless before getting accepted into U.A."

"What!"

"Do you have to shout?"

"But homeless? Seriously? How were you able to even do the test?"

"Aizawa picked me up, thought I had talent and the principal said if I can pass, then I get room and board because they can't have students being homeless and making the school look bad," I explained.

"So, they just let you take the test!"

"I had to pass the written first, just like you lot," I grumbled. "Trust me when I say I questioned them too. I just got caught pickpocketing."

Kirishima gaped, open-mouthed. "Y-You pickpocketed Aizawa-sensei!"

"I got _caught_ pickpocketing him." I scratched the back of my head. "Didn't know who it was till I was caught and he said he was a pro hero."

"Whoa! You've got balls, man!" He grinned, patting my back before pausing. "Can a girl have balls?"

I shot him an annoyed look as Iida suddenly bowed.

"I apologize for not knowing your circumstances and saying rude things earlier!"

_So, he was one of the ones talking behind my back before…_ "It's fine. I don't care what people think."

"I will make it up to you posthaste!"

I sweatdropped. "Y-Yeah, you do that. I'm gonna, uh… head off though, if that's all right."

The group bid their goodbyes and I let out a sigh of relief. _While I'm glad they took that well, I wish they weren't quite so… enthusiastic._ I glanced out the windows at the night sky though and frowned. _The League of Villains will start causing trouble tomorrow… I forgot how quickly things moved along in this._

"What a pain," I murmured, returning to my room with one thought in mind: _wonder if I can make a difference…_


	3. Chapter 3

Aizawa moved in front of the class tiredly, having had to deal with the reporters out front much like the students—who dodged questions about All Might being a teacher. I, thankfully, had no such issues. _Living on campus has its perks._

"Hope you're rested from yesterday's battle trial," Aizawa said, dropping a stack of papers on the desk. "I took the liberty of looking at your marks and evaluations. Bakugou, stop acting like a seven-year-old. You're wasting your own talent."

"I know," he spat, ruffled from Aizawa's words.

"And you," Aizawa shifted toward Midoriya, who flinched. "Are you always planning on destroying your arm, Midoriya? If you keep going, 'I can't adjust my Quirk, so I have no choice,' you'll never get terribly far. I've said it before, don't make me say it a third time. Once you've cleared that hurdle, you'll be much more flexible, so I need to see sweat out of you, Midoriya."

"Yes, sir!"

"And Hotaru."

I winced, hesitantly looking at Aizawa.

"You did a decent job controlling two hot-heads, but at least _try_ to focus more on your Quirk when changing. The same goes for you as Midoriya. If you keep making excuses without effort, you'll get nowhere."

"Yeah, I know," I grumbled, and he nodded.

"Now, let's get on with the homeroom notices. I'm sorry to have to spring this on you all but…"

Everyone tensed, expecting another test, but I just yawned. _Didn't sleep well last night thinking about the League of Villains._

"…we need to pick a class president."

Hands whipped up in the air and I hunkered down in my seat as nearly everyone in the class exclaimed they wanted to do it. _Don't they know how tedious that job is? I sure as hell don't want it. I'll vote for Iida. He gets it in the end anyway._

"Be quiet!" Said man shouted. "This is a task laden with responsibility where you must carry and pull everyone else's weight! Just because you'd like to do it doesn't mean you can! It is a holy office that requires the great esteem and trust of those around you! The only truly worthy leader will emerge from a democratic choice reflecting the will of the people! Which is why this must be settled by a vote!"

I snorted at his speech since he was obviously just as eager as everyone else, with his hand quivering in the air. Once he convinced the others though, a vote was done, and I raised a brow at the results.

"I got three votes?" Midoriya gaped as Bakugou bristled.

"You've gotta be shitting me! Who voted for Deku!"

_Uraraka and him. Iida too, if I remember right, _I mused, eyeing the single vote for Iida—_mine_—and the two votes for me. _Who?_ My eyes racked those with zero votes and my gaze latched onto a surprising name. _Tokoyami? Huh, didn't think he'd do that. _I glanced briefly at the bird. _Don't know who the other one was. Someone with multiple votes maybe? That leaves…_

"Midoriya, did you vote for me?" I asked, sitting beside Iida with a tray stacked high with food.

He stared openly at my pile in shock. "Uh… y-yeah. A-Are you going to eat all that?"

I nodded, shoveling some rice in my mouth and swallowing. "Recovery Girl says I need to gain weight. Food was scarce for me before U.A., so I plan on gorging myself with this deliciousness so long as I'm here." I stuffed some curry in my mouth and groaned in ecstasy. "So good."

"You shouldn't talk with your mouth full!" Iida scolded me, but I paid him no mind. "And you should be proud! I almost voted for you as well based on your actions in the battle trial! Your uncaring nonchalant attitude is what prevented me from doing so!"

"Good. Don't want it," I hummed, moving the empty curry plate and grabbing a bowl of ramen. "It's why I voted for you. Anyone who can shut up a whole class up for a vote is pretty good in my books."

He flushed in embarrassment as Uraraka smiled, looking around at all the people milling about in the cafeteria.

"We get all kinds here, huh? There are the Department of Heroics kids, Support kids, Management kids, all assembled in the same hall."

"Probably in the hopes that we mingle and make connections for when we graduate," I mused. "Shame there's a lot of butthurt people who are jealous of those in the heroics. I might find someone friendly in the Support group though."

"Huh, I never thought of it that way," Iida hummed as Midoriya fidgeted.

"M-Maybe you _should_ be class president. Suddenly, I'm really not sure I'm up to the task…"

"Hell, no. I don't want it," I grumbled, starting to feel full as I moved onto my final dish: katsudon.

"You'll be all right," Iida supported Midoriya.

"You've got the guts and judgment when it counts, Midoriya. I voted for you because I knew you have it in you to carry us through."

_If he didn't panic in tense situations, maybe._

"But didn't you want to be class president yourself, Iida?" Uraraka questioned. "You've got the look down with the glasses too!"

Iida sweatdropped at the comment. "Like I said, mere volition has nothing to do with one's actual suitability. I did nothing more than follow my own judgment on the matter."

"You're so proper, Iida!" She grinned, surprising him. "Yeah, you're always going on about honor and stuff! I might be wrong, but are you from an upper-crust family?"

"Upper-crust?" Midoriya screeched, as Iida shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't like it when it's brought attention to, but if I must talk about such things… then, yes. I'm from a family that's been in heroics for generations. I'm currently the second son."

"Eh? Wow!"

"Do you know of 'Turbo Hero: Ingenium?'"

Midoriya bobbed his head eagerly. "Of course, man! That's the super-popular hero whose Tokyo Office has hired as many as sixty-five sidekicks! You don't mean—"

"You're quite knowledgeable, but that is correct! And he's my big brother!" Iida said proudly. "He's a beloved pro hero who prizes the rules and guides the people! And I aspire to be a hero like him one day! As such, I think it might be too soon for me to be in a leadership position. For now, Midoriya is the better man, and his becoming president is the right choice!"

I sighed softly as Uraraka commented on his grin, food finished and mind buzzing. _I'd actually think he __**needs**__ to be in the class president position. It helps him better understand what it means to be a "people's hero" like his brother. Gives him a shot at being responsible over others._ A loud siren went off then and I winced at the noise as everyone else in the room panicked.

"_Security level three has been breached,_" the intercom announced. "_Students, people promptly evacuate._"

"What's security level three?" Iida asked, and a fleeing upperclassman shouted back a response.

"It means someone's infiltrated the school grounds! This hasn't happened in three years! Come quickly, all of you!"

I wanted to hang back, honestly, knowing how big of a disaster the mass of students fleeing was going to be. Midoriya, however, pulled me forward and I was soon trapped in the mob. We were separated easily, and I resisted the urge to change in fear that I'd change into something small enough to be crushed underfoot. Then, came another urge, one I hadn't known has stuck around until now. Crowds were a starving pickpocket's paradise, and the need to relieve a few students of their budging wallets was more than tempting. So much so, that I was already reaching for one before I knew it and a hand wrapped around my wrist to stop me. Mismatched eyes met mine with a frown.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh…" I glanced back at the student I'd reached for and winced at the wallet poking out from his back pocket. "S-Sorry. It's a… bad habit."

Todoroki narrowed his eyes suspiciously but released my wrist. "You have a habit of wallet snatching?"

I grimaced. "Hadn't thought so, but apparently, yes."

He grunted in acknowledgment, and when I was elbowed in the ribs, I groaned.

"If I turn into something small, pick me up before I'm crushed."

"What—"

I changed before he could respond and felt relief escape me as my wings expanded, flying up to a pipe out of the way of the crowd. I ruffled my feathers in annoyance at the group below before I spotted Iida beginning to float above the crowd himself. He flew haphazardly towards the exit and slammed into the wall, and I begrudgingly flew over myself.

"You all right?"

He jerked, nearly falling if he hadn't grabbed the pipe above him. "H-Hotaru, you're a red-tailed hawk! Why haven't you done anything!"

I gave him a blank look. "I don't care if they trample each other, honestly, so long as I'm not the one being crushed."

He groaned but knew there was little time to scold me if he wanted to calm the students. So, as I preened my feathers, he turned his attention to the mob below him.

"Everybody calm down!" He shouted, silencing them and drawing their attention to his awkward stance above the exit sign. "It's okay! It's just the press! There's nothing to panic about! It's okay! You're at U.A.! let's conduct ourselves in the manner of those enrolled at the highest academia!"

When he stopped, quivering, I gave him a look.

"You don't know how to get down, do you?"

He stiffened and turned beet red as I looked down and spotted Uraraka in the crowd.

"Oi, Uraraka, let Iida go."

"Oh, right!"

Needless to say, Iida promptly toppled to the ground, giving me a thumbs-up in thanks as I turned my attention to the muttering and snickering students.

"All right, you lot, pay attention!" I called down, flapping my wings to divert their focus to me. "Separate into groups by class and designated class presidents take roll to ensure no one is missing. After that, anyone injured is to report to Recovery Girl first. Then, groups will return to homeroom classes one-by-one, starting with first years and lowest class letter. So, 1-D will go first, then 1-C, etcetera. Got it?"

Head nodded, and I huffed, flying down to where my class was gathering and landing on Tokoyami's shoulder, earning an amused look at my ruffled feathers.

"I hate kids."

"You do realize you _are_ a kid, yes?"

"Don't remind me."

* * *

"All right, president, start us off," Yayorozu told Midoriya who grimaced, shaking out of nervousness.

"Uh, let us initiate the ceremony for the new class president! But before that, I need to say something! In the end, I think that Iida or Hotaru would be the better people for the job after all!"

_Oh, hell no._ I frowned, not deterring Midoriya's grin.

"You both proved yourself unable to unify people so coolly and it's my judgment that… either one of them becoming class president is the right choice!"

Kirishima called out in agreement. "Yeah, he's got a point! Iida made a great showing back there at the lunchroom and Hotaru too! I wouldn't have minded Midoriya either, of course!"

"Iida reminded me of that warning sign you see on emergency exits!" Kaminari chuckled and Aizawa sighed from his sleeping bag.

"Whatever, just get on with it already. We're not getting any younger here."

"So, who do we pick?"

"Do we have to vote again?"

I sighed, ruffling my feathers since I was still stuck as a hawk. "I don't want it, so just let Iida do it."

The class shrugged, accepting my choice as Iida stood up proudly.

"If it's the wish of the class president, then I can't refuse!"

"Finally," Aizawa huffed and after a quick announcement, we were told to head home.

Seeing as my home was here, I bid farewell to my classmates and took the chance to fly out after Aizawa. I landed on his shoulder, earning a displeased glance until I spoke.

"Should I be concerned about my safety while staying here?"

He stiffened, knowing that I was less concerned about my wellbeing and more about what had happened. "What do you know?"

I eyed him. "That there's no way a highly-secured top hero academy could be easily breached by some paparazzi."

"Does anyone else—"

"Suspect anything? Possibly the more intelligent in our class but they don't seem bothered. They probably assume it was a fluke or you pros are dealing with it."

"We _are_ dealing with it."

I snorted—something I didn't know was possible with a beak. "Yeah, right. An upperclassman said a breach hasn't happened in three years. And the fact that the press had been shut out until that point means there was _some_ sort of security but not the type to deter those with Quirks. I know how people work. Being homeless has that perk. I know that I can't steal from a shop repeatedly for an extended period of time. They get suspicious, so I leave them be, let them think they're safe. They get used to peace, lower security, then I steal. They're less prepared when they get used to peace. This was someone giving you a warning or looking for something in the chaos. I'm not stupid enough to miss the fact that they could have wiped us all out if they wanted to. It would have been easy with the chaos the students were thrown in." I hopped off his shoulder as his eyes flashed red and I returned to my human form.

"You would make a formidable villain, Hotaru."

I gave him an amused look. "So would most heroes, but you lot picked me up first, so I suppose you lucked out."

"Doesn't mean you wouldn't change your mind." He acted like he was joking, but I could sense the seriousness in his tone.

"I might consider it," I shrugged, seeing him stiffen. "But it seems like a lot of work and skulking about. I don't have the motivation for it if I'm honest. Besides you lot probably have better food."

He sighed heavily, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I sometimes forget you're only fifteen with how you talk. Your priorities are kind of skewed."

"Yeah, but they keep me on your side, don't they?" I smiled, earning an eye roll as we continued our walk toward the teacher's lounge.

"Any other _guesses_ you have?" He questioned, and I hummed.

"It's a plan, a good one, but also a stupid one," I mused, lacing my fingers behind my head. "I wouldn't be surprised if it's a group. A lone wolf wouldn't pick this big of a fight. They didn't attack, just got our attention and caused a mess—put us on alert. A stupid move, but it shows they wanted something. Something they wouldn't get if they just jumped in full force."

"What could they want?"

"Don't ask me. I don't even know why you're listening to me blabber on."

"Hm. You bring up valid points and despite your unreliable Quirk, your way of looking at situations is valuable. Perhaps I should start dragging you to our meetings…"

"Oi, they already think I'm getting special treatment in class. The last thing I need is to prove them right," I complained. "And it would paint a rather vibrant target on my back, don't you think? Not to mention you'd have to get everyone to agree I'm trustworthy and probably would have paperwork to fill out and parents to talk to if _they_ find out a fifteen-year-old was helping make big executive decisions and—"

"All right, all right!" He complained, shooting me an annoyed look. "I wasn't _actually_ going to, you know."

I grinned innocently. "I know. Just thought I'd deter any future thoughts of such a thing is all."

"You're a pain. Don't you have a dorm room to go to?"

My smile faltered, and I stuffed my hands in my pockets. "Suppose so."

His hand reached up and shoved my head down as he ruffled my hair. "I'll drop by after my meeting and we can grab dinner, all right, brat?"

I grinned, looking up at him. "You bringing friends?"

He sighed. "If I have to."


	4. Chapter 4

**Apologies if the plot appears to be moving rather quickly in these. I'm going based off the manga, and I swear the arcs are just back to back insanity. please let me know what you think! Tell me how my OC is, how the other characters are (if they're in or out of character) or just comments in general. I would love some feedback, good or bad :)**

* * *

I fidgeted awkwardly during lunch, suddenly not feeling very hungry despite the mound of food on my tray. _The attack at the USJ is today and I still don't have a plan. I don't know if I'll get thrown away and who I'd end up with if I did. If not, then I'm stuck with Iida's group who stays out of the way. I can send Iida off to get help early, but didn't he get targeted by the villains when he did that? Too soon and he might get hurt. And if I get tossed away, I might end up stuck as some useless animal. If I try to prevent injuries, then I'll need to somehow hold back Midoriya and some of the others. I'll need to prevent No. 13 from using his Quirk. I'll need to get Aizawa away from the Nomu. I-I might have to reveal foreknowledge to help All Might._ I jerked when a hand landed on my shoulder and a startled Midoriya flinched away.

"S-Sorry, but are you okay, Hotaru? Lunch is over and… you barely touched your food."

I looked at my full plate and then down at my quivering hand. I set my chopsticks down and pushed away from the table. "Sorry, just have a lot on my mind."

He fidgeted as I took care of my food, making me eye him until he spoke.

"I-I know we don't know each other very well but, um… I-If you want to talk, Hotaru, I-I'll do what I can to help you out."

I paused outside our classroom and clenched my fist. "If you knew something terrible was going to happen, people were going to get hurt…" _What am I doing? I can't tell him. I can't tell anyone._ I shook my head, waving Midoriya off. "Never mind." I made to enter the class, but he grabbed my arm to stop me.

"I-If I knew people were going to get hurt, I would do everything in my power to keep them safe," he declared.

_He doesn't understand._ I frowned. "What power? Have you see my Quirk?"

"I don't just mean your Quirk! Y-You're really smart, Hotaru. Like in the lunchroom yesterday. You went out of your way to organize everyone and plan an evacuation in minutes! I-If you could apply that to whatever is bothering you, then I think you could help everyone. Even if someone still gets hurt, so long as you try to help to the best of your ability, t-then isn't that what being a hero is all about?"

_This kid._ "You know, that'd be really profound if your fly wasn't undone."

He turned cherry red in an instant, scrambling to zip up his fly as I entered the room and chuckled as he followed me in with a shout.

"I-I-It wasn't down, Hotaru!"

"Just wanted to watch you squirm, Midoriya."

"_Hotaru_!"

Aizawa stepped in and cleared his throat, startling Midoriya into taking his seat. "For the foundational skill of heroics we'll study today, it was decided you'll be supervised by a three-man team comprising me, All Might, and somebody else," Aizawa explained as Sero's hand shot in the air.

"Sensei! What'll we be doing!"

"Be the hero everyone needs, whether it's a flood or any other disaster." He pulled out a card. "It's the trial of rescue!"

Kaminari winced. "Trial of rescue… sounds a bit difficult this time around."

"Totally!" Ashido agreed though he looked rather pumped up.

"C'mon, dumbass, that's what a hero's whole job is! I'm chomping at the bit!" Kirishima grinned as Asui hummed.

"If it's a flood, then that environment's my specialty, ribbit."

"Don't get ahead of yourselves," Aizawa silenced us. "As I was saying, this time, it's entirely up to each of you whether or not you wear your costume. Some of your costumes probably aren't adapted to the task at hand, after all. The training area is fairly far away, so we'll get there by bus. That's all. Go get prepared."

Everyone got up and made for the changing rooms, but I lagged behind and caught Aizawa's gaze once more.

"What now, Hotaru? Don't like your costume, don't wear it."

"I like it, actually. Thanks for not designing me something stupid, I guess, but I was concerned about this trip."

"What about it?"

"Is it smart? After yesterday, I would think outside trips would be put on hold until we had better security and ways of keeping people safe."

His eyes narrowed. "The attack was on the school, not the students. Technically, sending you out for a trip is better… Unless you know something we don't."

_Damn, he's good._ I resisted revealing any signs that I knew something and just shrugged. "Thought it was odd, is all. Seems safer to me to just hang here surrounded by heroes and _some_ security, than go out with only three of you."

"All Might will be there, so there's nothing to worry about."

_Yeah, except he'll be late._ I grimaced. "You know, unlike the rest of these brainwashed kids, I _don't_ have an adoration for Mr. Number-One-Hero. I honestly think _your_ Quirk is better than some over-powered muscle-head."

If Aizawa was surprised, he didn't show it other than a small smile.

"Don't let _him_ hear you say that, or he'll go out of his way to change your mind."

"Noted," I replied, drifting away from him to go change. "Wouldn't want that."

I missed Aizawa's small chuckle.

"Brat."

* * *

The bus was full of chatter about Quirks and Bakugou's shouting, but I hardly heard it. I was lost in my own thoughts as I idly drummed my fingers on my thigh. _Okay. What can I do? Aizawa and No. 13 get hurt the most, followed by All Might and Midoriya. No. 13 should be relatively easy to stop if he listens but the Nomu… How can I go against that?_ My stomach churned uneasily and when the bus finally stopped, I was near physically ill. _Ugh, did I get motion sick too?_ A hand with two pills was stuck out in my direction and I blinked in surprise as Aoyama pushed back his bangs with a flourish.

"I saw you looked ill and took it upon myself to share some of my stomach ache medicine! Do not feel ashamed, mon ami, for it was only motion sickness. An easy fix!"

I was surprised but took the pills. "Oh, thanks, Aoyama."

"Of course! We must always look out for each other as classmates of 1-A!"

He struck a pose and then bounded off after the others as I tried to wrap my head around what happened. _You know what? Let's not think about it. I have enough on my plate without trying to figure out what's going on in Frenchie's head._

"This is a practical training area I created to simulate all kinds of accidents and disasters," No. 13 explained, drawing everyone's attention to him, though I kept some distance to get a look over the place.

_Big place. Midoriya, Asui, and Mineta were the closest when separated and even they are going to be far. I'll just have to stay by those who don't get taken. I can help more people here._ I spotted Aizawa's furrowed brows and was surprised to find his eyes on me. _Also, I need to be more careful about what I say around him. As it is, this situation will make him suspicious._

"Naturally, in this society of superhumans, Quirks are strictly regulated, and the requirements for their lawful use enforced."

_Poorly, if my extended Quirk usage on the streets is anything to go by, _I mused, trying to remember at what point in No. 13's speech the villains show up.

"This lesson will serve as a fresh start! Let's get to studying about how to wield our Quirks for the sake of human life!" No. 13 said dramatically. "Your Quirks emphatically do not exist to hurt others! Please leave this exercise having fully understood that your Quirks exist to help people! That is all!" No. 13 bowed. "You have my gratitude for listening so intently and patiently!"

I resisted a frown. _Just more brainwashing, really. Quirks appeared out of nowhere for no reason. How we as people choose to use out Quirks is what makes them dangerous or not. 'Emphatically' my ass._ It was then I felt a chill; those instincts from the streets alerting me to the danger just as Aizawa spotted the warp gate.

"Huddle together and don't move! No. 13, protect the students!" He shouted as the others began to see the problem.

Aizawa and I had been the first, and as he slipped on his mask, I turned to the others.

"Do as he said! This isn't training! Those are villains!"

The group stiffened, and I was quick to move by Iida, knowing he'd be the first I would have to deal with.

"Eraserhead and No.13," the warp-gate villain hummed. "According to the teachers' curriculum we procured yesterday, Mr. All Might was supposed to be here, and yet…"

"I knew it," Aizawa stated, "so yesterday was the doing of you louts."

He was ignored as Shigaraki groaned. "Where is he? We went through all this trouble and rustled up so many of us to bring along. You can't tell me All Might, the Symbol of Peace, isn't here. I wonder if he'll show up if we kill the kids?"

The villains continued to emerge from the warp gate and I nudged Iida.

"You need to go get the teachers. Aizawa and No. 13 won't be able to do this alone and you're the fastest."

"W-What? But surely—"

"Just _go_!" I snapped, knowing that there was no time to be arguing with him. "Before the villains notice You're the class president, aren't you? It's your job to look out for us and right now, _this_ is what needs to be done. Now, go! I'll do what I can here." I cracked a smirk, hoping it looked more confident than I felt. "I was runner up, after all."

He nodded and made to use his engines, but I stopped him short.

"Not until you're outside the gates. We can't let them catch on to you leaving or they'll try to stop us before we get anywhere."

He agreed and snuck away as I let out the breath I'd been holding. _Iida leaving early, check._

"No.13, do the evacuation procedure!" Aizawa ordered. "And try calling the school! These villains know how to get around the sensors! There's a chance there's an electrowave type guy who'll try interfering. Kaminari, you too! Try contacting U.A. with your Quirk!"

"A-Ah!" Kaminari stuttered out, surprised to be called on, but Midoriya was concerned.

"Sensei, are you going to fight them alone! Even if you suppress all of their Quirks, there's so many of them! The battle style of 'Eraserhead' is to capture villains after erasing their Quirks. Meaning—"

I smacked Midoriya on the back of the head, shutting him up. "Moron, do you honestly think pro heroes only train one way? They'd be easy to beat if they did, so they train to work around their weaknesses. You should be telling him 'good luck.'"

Aizawa let out a small chuckle. "No. 13, Hotaru, I'm counting on you." He jumped down after the villains as I scratched the back of my head.

"How annoying, counting on me, punk." I looked to the others. "Well, you heard him. Time to evacuate."

We went to do so, only for the black mist of Kurogiri to block our way.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that. Greetings, we are the Villain Alliance. I apologize for the presumption, but we took it upon ourselves to enter U.A. Academy, the base of heroics in order to engage with Mr. All Might, the Symbol of Peace. We were wondering if we might be allowed the opportunity to extinguish him, you see."

"Sure," I spoke up, making my classmates turn to me in shock and earning a surprised look from Kurogiri until I continued. "Yeah, right. Like we'd really say that. And the polite villain act, really?"

"H-Hotaru!" Midoriya whined, but I brushed him off.

"What? Haven't you heard of stalling?"

"Stalling?" Kurogiri hissed, and I hummed, picking at my fingernails in a desperate attempt to ignore my shaking.

_Come on, just keep bluffing._ "Yeah, we may be kids, but we're not _all_ idiots. Someone's already been sent for reinforcements." I eyed the mist as it twitched at this information. "I'm already five steps ahead of you."

I reached out then and grabbed Bakugou and Kirishima, who had both shifted in preparation to attack.

"Let me go, mutt! We could have had him!"

I rolled my eyes. "He's _mist_, morons. What were you expecting to hit?"

Bakugou growled, fists sparking before the inevitable happened. I let my two captives go as Kurogiri expanded his mist around us, slipping up behind No. 13 to keep from being scattered with the others. _And that makes me lucky, I suppose. Step two, No. 13._

"Yo, Shoji, is everyone still in the park?" I asked, gaze locked on Kurogiri.

He nodded, bat-like appendages doing a quick check. "Yes, all still here."

I cracked a smile. "Perfect. Means his range is limited, and they're not about to leave and go after Iida, who I sent to fetch the pros earlier."

No. 13 looked at me in shock. "You thought that far ahead?"

"You and Aizawa alone can't fight this many villains _and_ protect us. And might I suggest _not_ using your power, No. 13? This guy uses his mist like a warp gate. A destructive power like yours could be moved behind us or used against us if we're not careful."

"Then, how do we fight?" Sato questioned.

"Intelligently and using what we have. Starting with a distraction. No. 13, if you would?" I pointed at the ground and he nodded, using his power to break it up as I scrambled to work with the other students—glancing at Aizawa. _Not much time left. I can save his elbow if I'm quick, but after that comes the Nomu._ I looked back at my group. "Got it?"

I got thumbs-ups from everyone and they moved as soon as they had a chance. Uraraka touched the metal that was visible on Kurogiri, floating him up as Sero threw tape to throw Kurogiri away.

"Now, you all need to get out of here, and if he comes back, you know what to do. Either that or start tying up the villains Aizawa knocked out."

"What about you?"

I rolled my shoulder, turning to Aizawa's battle. "I've got someone I need to pay back for getting me off the streets. No. 13, get them out of here."

"Hotaru, wait—"

"No time," I stated, changing as I focused and rushed towards Aizawa and Shigaraki.

_Think. Fast, powerful, limber, stealthy. Come on, Quirk give me something useful!_ Large paws hit the ground and I resisted the urge to grin as my lithe spotted body rushed forward, nimbly dodging other villains nearby. _Come on, come on! Make it in time!_ A feral growl escaped me as I lunged forward and grabbed onto Shigaraki's arm with my jaws. I swung him away quickly before he could think of using his Quirk, fur bristled along my back. _Good time to be a cheetah._

"Hotaru!" Aizawa snapped, though I didn't take my eyes off the rising Shigaraki. "You were supposed to help evacuate the students!"

"Did that, and Iida was sent to get more heroes the moment the villains showed up, all without them noticing." I risked a glance back at him from over my shoulder. "You're welcome."

He knocked a few approaching villains aside and came up next to me, his back to my left shoulder. "You need to go as well. I can't risk you getting hurt in this!"

"I'm not stupid, you know. We'll have to fight villains one day. We'll get _hurt_ one day. It's inevitable. But if I stood by and let the pro hero who gave me a reason to live get hurt by some weirdo with a hand fetish, then what sort of person does that make me?" I shot him a cheeky grin. "You wanted me to be a hero. You should take responsibility for your actions."

I could _feel_ him resisting a sigh.

"Do you have a plan?"

_That's more like it._ "Iida should have found someone by now, so we just need to stall. The more powerful students were the ones scattered and the others should be out of here if No. 13 listened to me. We need only be concerned about ourselves. Although, shame on you for jumping into a hand-on-hand with a villain whose Quirk is unknown."

"Who's the teacher here?" He grumbled as we both took down more lower-level villains.

"He hasn't attacked yet and when he did just now, it was a charge _into_ hand-to-hand combat. Could be a Quirk that needs physical touch."

"So, how do we fight him?"

"We don't!" I chirped, dodging a fist and biting down on a villain's leg, snapping the bone with a sickening crunch. _Don't think about it. Don't. You can't. Focus!_ "Anyway, I'm more concerned about the other one who hasn't started fighting."

"Who?"

"That—" I frowned, seeing the space where the Nomu had been awaiting orders was now empty.

"Hotaru!"

I turned just in time to see broken, gnarled teeth and a crazed eye before hands grabbed me and slammed me to the ground.

* * *

Aizawa looked over at the Nomu that had Hotaru pinned, but the creature easily broke one of her limbs before he could think of helping. A short cry of pain escaped her—_she should be screaming_—and Aizawa grit his teeth. _Looking at any part of his body should've been enough to erase his Quirk! In other words, this is his base power? He's damn near All Might's level. I have to get Hotaru out of there, but how? My Quirk's useless in this situation._

"That kid was getting annoying," Shigaraki muttered, scratching at his neck. "The pros she summoned, getting in my way again and again and again. Nomu."

The creature went to break another limb, but Aizawa caught a toothy grin before Hotaru apparently vanished.

"What!"

The Nomu opened its hands, staring dumbly around in search of the prey that had disappeared before Aizawa spotted it.

"Hey, big guy! Over here! Bet you can't punch me!"

The Nomu's head whipped around to the small kangaroo rat on his shoulder, letting out a screech and trying to reach for it.

"Too slow!" Hotaru called out, crawling to his arm and jumping to its shoulder as it tried again.

"Forget the rat!" Shigaraki snapped, reaching his breaking point as Kurogiri appeared. "There's no doubt that if they throw dozens of pros at us, we can't win. It's game over. Ah… It's game over, for now. Shall we hop back? Actually, before that, why don't we use this opportunity to take the Symbol of Peace down a notch!"

He moved quicker than anyone expected, launching himself straight for the unsuspecting Asui, Midoriya, and Mineta in the Flood Zone where they'd been watching. Just as his hand reached Asui however, Aizawa had stopped his Quirk and began to hurry over. Midoriya threw himself full force as well, but the Nomu was called and he stared in shock at where he'd hit the creature. It was unharmed. He hadn't seen the regeneration process it had happened so quickly, but everyone had forgotten about the little rat. The door burst open and All Might entered the arena, looking ferocious.

"Have no fear, for I have come," he growled out, removing his tie and jumping into the fray.

The low-level villains were defeated easily and before he could make a move, a lion grabbed Midoriya, Asui, and Mineta—dashing away from the trio of villains with Aizawa on their tail. Once they were safe though, Hotaru sank to the ground, out of breath and in obvious pain. Aizawa placed a hand on her fur and she shot him a glare.

"Don't use your Quirk on me yet. Save it. I can move better on three limbs than one.

Aizawa sighed. "You risked yourself too much."

"Saved your butt, didn't I?" She huffed, tiredly. "Yo, All Might. Watch out for the big guy. He's strong and has some kind of quick regenerative power."

"What? How did you—"

"I was still on it when Midoriya punched it. I saw it before the dust settled." She cracked a smile. "See? I can be useful."

"Brat," Aizawa grumbled. "The guy with the hands has a Quirk that requires physical touch and the mist can use warp gates. I'll help you out until the others can get here, All Might. You three, take Hotaru and join the others who have already evacuated. As she said, we can't fight _and_ protect you."

Shigaraki pawed at his neck again. "Ah, it's no good. I'm sorry, father… he really is quite fast, huh? My eyes couldn't follow him. And yet… he wasn't as fast as I expected. Could it be our intel was true after all? About how you're weakening? And that kid… that annoying brat. Nomu."

Hotaru's eyes widened and she tried to get up because she knew what that meant. The Nomu was in front of her in an instant, but before it could grab her, All Might swung in and tackled the Nomu away.

"A regenerative Quirk means my blows will do no good," he declared. "Not unless I do this!"

"Wait! The mist!" Hotaru called out as All Might went to bend and slam the Nomu's head into the ground. With a grunt, All Might swung his legs up and dodged the Nomu who had its upper half poking through a warp gate All Might had dropped it into.

"Thank you, Hotaru! I nearly forgot!"

"Y-You nitwit," Hotaru bit out, in pain after her attempt to stand earlier. "Don't just stand around, sensei."

Aizawa grunted, using his ability to stop Kurogiri's Quirk. "Don't tell me what to do, brat."

"Outta the fucking way!" Bakugou shouted as he took advantage of Aizawa's opening and slammed a flaming blast into the real body of Kurogiri.

The Nomu as well was quickly covered in ice as Todoroki joined in and Kirishima tried to get an attack on Shigaraki—missing.

"We've been cornered," Shigaraki hummed, not sounding bothered. "And what's more, you're all nearly unscathed. Man, I have to hand it to the kids these days… at this rate, the Villain Alliance will be a laughing stock. Nomu, go ahead and finish explosion boy over there. We're rescuing our revolving door."

The Nomu ripped its body apart, getting out of Todoroki's ice and Hotaru grimaced, finally on her feet.

"A-And there's the regenerative power," she bit out, jumping towards Bakugou just as the Nomu went after him.

All Might leaped forward as well and deflected the hit that would have undoubtedly clipped Hotaru if he hadn't moved.

"Do you not know mercy?" All Might bit out, coughing blood as Bakugou went to snap at Hotaru only to cut himself short at the sight of her.

_Damn mutt. The hell. Saving me while looking like that. Goddammit!_

"We had no choice," Shigaraki responded. "We had to save our ally, didn't we? And not long ago, one of your kids over there, the annoying animal one. They attacked us before with all their strength, hear? Now, listen here, All Might. I'm very ticked off! We're all categorized as either heroes or villains, but at the end of the day, violence is violence. And who gets to decide right and wrong? Society does!" He spat. "The Symbol of Peace? Give me a break! You're nothing more than a bludgeon of oppression yourself! Violence only breeds more violence. And once we kill you, that'll be made known to the world!"

"You're mad," All Might declared, not seeing the small frown Hotaru had at his words. "You oughtta keep your antisocial viewpoints to yourself. Besides, be straight with me. You just want to get in your kicks."

"You saw right through me so quickly…"

The group of students—sans Hotaru—readied themselves to help, but All Might was quick to stop them.

"No! Please escape!"

"But if I hadn't come to support you earlier, it'd have been bad," Todoroki countered as Midoriya muttered something unheard by the others.

"Right you are, Todoroki, my boy! Thanks a ton! But now I'll be okay! All you need to do is watch a pro show you how it's done!"

Aizawa agreed. "Hotaru is hurt and has already kept you lot safe. If anything, you should escape so she won't _keep_ getting hurt."

Hotaru clicked her tongue, but it was half-hearted. Already, she was struggling to stay upright. The group hesitated, but she was surprisingly the one to try and get them moving.

"Come on, you lot. Oh, and All Might?"

The man glanced over his shoulder at her.

"Just hit faster and harder than he can regenerate."

All Might grinned, throwing her a thumbs-up and she huffed, leaning against an annoyed Bakugou.

"Get off me, mutt!"

"Nah, I saved you, remember?"

He grit his teeth. "Like hell you did!"

"Ah, but word might get out. I might just tell everyone the great Bakugou had to be saved by a weak, injured classmate."

"Why you—"

"_Or_ I could forget about the whole thing if you can help me get back to the other evacuated students."

He growled, red in the face as even Midoriya, Kirishima and Todoroki waited to see his response.

"Agh, fine! Let's do this fast! I'll be here in less than a second! I'm not letting him get all the glory!" He raged as Aizawa used his Quirk to get Hotaru back to human form.

Shigaraki wasn't thrilled though and charged forward, leaving Nomu and Kurogiri to All Might. "I won't let you brats go!"

All Might though suddenly began punching the Nomu quickly and with far more power than anyone expected.

"I told you before, he had shock absorption," Shigaraki grumbled, moving away from the students.

"I'm aware! It's shock absorption, not total nullification! It must have a limit, no? He was made to withstand my 100%? In that case, I'll just give it more than 100% at a speed its regeneration won't be able to keep up! A hero is someone who smashes through every obstacle life puts his way! Do you know what I speak, villain!"

The Nomu couldn't handle the flurry of hits All Might threw and a moment later, was sent flying out of the USJ.

"I really have gotten weaker," All Might admitted. "In my heyday, it'd had taken five good punches, tops. Now, I threw more than three hundred of the suckers. Now then, villain, we both want to put an end to this dance of ours quickly, don't we?"

"You used cheats!" Shigaraki pointed out. "You've gotten weaker? You lie… We're totally overpowered! How dare you lay a hand on my Nomu! You used cheats! There's no way you're any weaker now! Did he… Did he lie to me?"

"What's the matter? Where'd your bravado go? What happened to clearing the game? Try it, if you can," All Might challenged.

"That's All Might for you," Todoroki muttered, starting to turn away to leave. "Looks like we're not even players anymore."

"Midoriya, we really oughtta be drawing back now!" Kirishima urged as Hotaru shifted to move to Midoriya's side. "Otherwise we might end up getting used as hostages as Hotaru said."

Hotaru nudged him, drawing his shaky gaze downward. "Come on, Midoriya. He's trying his best, so let's get out of his way."

_Does she… Does she know he's bluffing? C-Could she somehow know about how weak he is? _"H-Hotaru, you…"

"Well, what are you waiting for?" All Might called out again as Shigaraki clawed more anxiously at his neck.

"If only Noumu were here! If it were him, he'd be able to face him without feeling an iota of pressure!"

Kurogiri moved closer to him. "Shigaraki Tomura, please calm yourself. If you look more closely, you can clearly see the exhaustion Nomu succeeded in causing him."

They chatted for a moment longer and Hotaru gripped Midoriya's arm since he'd yet to turn with the others.

"I will get dragged with you if you go," she ground out. "Leave it. He's got Aizawa as backup."

"B-But—"

Kurogiri got larger and went to charge in and Midoriya jerked, but Hotaru held fast with a cringe.

"L-Let go! I-I have to—"

"_Wait!_" She bit out just as gunshots went off.

All forward movement from the villains stopped and Hotaru let out a sigh of relief at the voices calling from the entrance.

"Sorry, partners," Snipe hummed, having fired the shots.

"We're regrettably late," Nezu remarked as Kirishima grinned at Iida leading the group of pro heroes he'd gathered.

"Iida!"

"I came back with all the people I could scrape together! Class 1-A President Iida Tenya! Reporting for duty!"

"Ah, they came. They came…" Shigaraki complained. "It's our game over screen. Back to the drawing board, eh, Kurogiri? Knock out the Quirk-stopper."

Dust was kicked up near Aizawa by Kurogiri and the man cursed as his eyes were forced closed. Snipe began shooting again to try and stop the group from fleeing and even No. 13 came back to help. They were too quick though and Shigaraki got away with one final threat to All Might. Midoriya quivered, tears pooling in his eyes as he caught sight of All Might's weakened form.

"All Might… I was… c-completely useless…"

"That's not true, young one," he argued, dust slowly starting to settle. "If you hadn't given me those precious seconds, then my head would be rolling right now. You've saved me once again, squirt." His gaze spotted Hotaru then and he stiffened as those grey eyes looked at him knowingly. "Ah… Hotaru…"

Midoriya jerked, whipping around with wide eyes to the person still holding onto his arm. _A-Ah, I forgot! S-She saw! S-She heard! _Kirishima caught sight of them, not quite seeing All Might, but concerned for Midoriya and Hotaru.

"Midoriya, Hotaru! You two all right?" He made to head over and Midoriya began to panic.

"Kirishima! Ah—"

"I'm fine, Kirishima," Hotaru stopped him, leaning a bit more on Midoriya. "Midoriya said he'll take me to Recovery Girl. You should go check on the others and see what the heroes want you to do."

He blinked before grinning and giving a thumbs-up. "All right! Thanks, Midoriya!" He rushed off and Midoriya gaped at Hotaru as she sighed.

"H-Hotaru, you…"

"Don't," she huffed, giving him and All Might a look. "You're both idiots."

"Ah!"

She rolled her eyes. "It's none of my business to care about some weakness of an overpowered top-hero."

Midoriya sweatdropped until Cementoss headed over and provided a bit of privacy for the three of them, keeping any other students away.

"Thanks, Cementoss," All Might sighed as he made to sit on the ground.

Midoriya helped Hotaru do the same as Cementoss smiled and Aizawa headed over as well.

"I'm a fan of yours too, All Might," Cementoss hummed. "Now, let's keep your true form hidden and head to the infirmary. But try not to overdo it so much next time."

"If I hadn't gone that far, I'd be a dead man. That's how formidable these new enemies are."

"We'd _both_ be dead if it weren't for this brat going too far," Aizawa complained, looking over Hotaru's broken leg as she grimaced.

"I-I'll take that as your version of thanks, old man."

"You're too reckless."

"And my recklessness saved your ass—ow!"

Aizawa's fist remained up as he took in a slow breath, Hotaru cradling her head where he'd hit her. "We were worried, Hotaru."

"…I know that," she grumbled, not looking up and Aizawa sighed, ruffling her hair.

"Come on. Let's get you to the infirmary."

* * *

Recovery girl eyed the three of us in the infirmary, cutting into the tense silence that had settled over us. _Honestly, are they really that concerned I knew his real form? I met him already and this form versus the actual All Might aren't that different._

"This time, the circumstances being what they are, I won't say anything."

"I don't doubt that I… I was being reckless with my time limit, probably," All Might admitted, pushing himself up into a sitting position. "If only I had just another hour or so in me."

"I was talking about Hotaru," Recovery girl corrected him, and I cringed. "You're much too reckless and _still_ aren't taking care of yourself! I could barely get your bones back in place and partially repaired!"

"Sorry," I muttered tiredly. "I was trying to eat better, but I've been having trouble sleeping."

She slapped the edge of my bed with her cane. "Don't lie to me. I've heard about how much food you've been eating, and I don't doubt you're throwing half of it up later."

I grimaced, looking away from her, Midoriya and All Might's concerned looks. She simply sighed.

"Your stomach's not used to being fed so much at one time. You need to evenly space out smaller meals first."

"But the food's so good," I murmured, earning an eye roll.

"I'll write up a meal plan for you for now and will give it to the chef and Aizawa. That way you'll have a more balanced diet and won't get in trouble for eating snacks in class."

"Thanks."

"And no more jumping into fire-fights," she scolded. "Aizawa has already told me how reckless you are and I'm tired of seeing you in my office. If you want to be here so often, I'll set up regular appointments and—"

"No! Nope. I got it. No more reckless activity a-and eat better. Will do," I hastily replied, and she huffed, writing up my meal plan as I let out a sigh of relief—the door opening a moment later.

"Coming through!" The detective announced. "All Might, long time no see!"

"Tsukauchi, is that you? So, you showed up too, huh?"

Midoriya was surprised. "All Might, you… He… He knows your true form?"

"That's right! It's A-Okay! Why you ask? For he is Tsukauchi Naomasa, the police officer with whom I am best friends!"

"Tsukauchi chuckled. "What kind of introduction is that? Sorry to be coming at you so suddenly, but I need your testimony about the villains. Especially—"

All Might held up his hands. "Wait, hold on. Before we get into that, are all the students okay?"

"Apart from the two beside you, the students are fine for the most part. Just some minor nicks here and there. But, you know, if you and Aizawa hadn't buckled down and fought so bravely, then it probably would have been a very different story for the kids."

"That so? However, you've got one thing wrong, Tsukauchi. The students also fought bravely and gave it their all! They experienced true battle at such a young age and survived! Tell me, do you know any other high school freshmen who have faced such terror! Who have truly faced the perils of the world of adults! They showed those villains for the idiots they are! And the students of 1-A will make fine heroes!" He gave Midoriya and me a thumbs-up. "I'm sure of it. Mark my words!"

I sighed at his overexuberance and looked at Recovery Girl. "Can I get a room change?"

"Ack!" All Might choked as Midoriya stuttered.

"H-H-Hotaru!"


	5. Chapter 5

"All right, listen!" Iida called out to silence the murmuring class, who eyed the empty chair by the window. "It's time for this morning's homeroom period! Take your seats, everyone!"

"We _are_ in our seats. You're the one who's not," Sero teased and Iida hastily sat down as the door opened and Aizawa walked in.

"Morning."

"A-Ah!" Midoriya raised a hand. "Is H-Hotaru okay?"

Aizawa set down his papers and let a calm gaze over the class of concerned students—ears picking up the clatter of someone in the hall. "Ask her yourself."

The door opened and a batter and bandaged Hotaru wandered in tiredly on a set of crutches.

"Hotaru, you're all right!" Iida shouted as Uraraka cringed.

"Can you really call that all right?"

Hotaru hobbled to her desk and collapsed in it with a heavy sigh. "Don't worry about me. I just need a few more trips to Recovery Girl and I'll be—" She was cut off with a beeping of a watch and groaned, pulling out a protein bar and eating it with a grimace of disgust.

The others were a little confused, but Aizawa regained everyone's attention when he cleared his throat.

"You shouldn't concern yourselves with Hotaru. After all, the battle hasn't _really_ ended for you yet."

"The battle?"

"You don't mean…"

"The villains!"

Aizawa's glare silenced them to give him a chance to explain. "U.A.'s sports festival is approaching, boys and girls!"

"Sport's festival! That's totally ordinary!"

"Come on! We just had that villain attack. You sure about this?"

"It's smart."

All eyes snapped to Hotaru, who blinked at the number of confused students eyeing her.

"Seriously? Publicity, guys. U.A. gets broken into, the students attacked by villains? The school has to prove to everyone it's fine and they're handling everything appropriately. Canceling the Sport's Festival makes the school look weak in the eyes of the public and makes the villains' plan successful."

Aizawa nodded. "As she said, it's necessary to demonstrate that U.A.'s crisis management protocols are sound. That's the thinking apparently. Compared to past years, there'll be five times the police presence. Anyhow, our Sport's Festival is the greatest opportunity you'll get. It's not an event that can be canceled over a few villains."

"You sure about that?" Mineta questioned uncertainly, and Midoriya turned to him in surprise.

"Mineta, are you telling me you've never seen U.A.'s Sport's Festival?"

"Of course, I have. That's not what I meant."

"Our Sport's Festival is one of Japan's biggest events!" Aizawa interjected, rambling on about its importance for a bit before Yayorozu spoke up.

"The nation's top heroes will all be watching, right? They'll be there as scouts."

"They'll be looking to hire us as sidekicks after we graduate. That's how it's done." Kaminari grinned over at Jiro.

"And a lot of those sidekicks never manage to go solo. They're sidekicks forever," she tacked on. "That'll be you, Kaminari, you dunce."

"Tch."

Aizawa continued his speech. "Naturally, you'll gain valuable experience and popularity if you're picked up by a big-name hero, but your time is limited. Show the pros what you're made of here and you'll make futures for yourselves. This happens once a year, so you've got three chances. If you're hoping to become a hero, this is an event you can't miss!"

Hotaru let out a yawn, making his eye twitch as the bell rang to go to their next class. _Sometimes, I just don't understand that kid's motivation._

"Anyway, that's all for today. Homeroom dismissed."

* * *

"Even after what we just went through, this has got me so freaking pumped! If we show our stuff here, that's one big step towards going pro!" Kirishima cheered at the far end of the room as I searched for the lunch the chef packed for me.

"Everyone's so excited…" Midoriya muttered and I grunted in agreement.

"And you aren't?" Iida questioned, getting excited himself. "This is our chance to add our names to the ranks of heroes. Of course, we're in high spirits!"

"You've got a funny way of showing it, Iida," Asui commented as she walked past, but he wasn't the only one pumped up about the Sport's Festival.

"Deku, Iida, at the Sport's Festival, let's do our best!" Uraraka shouted, making me pause my search before shaking my head and continuing.

"What happened to your face, Uraraka!"

"What the… You're not looking very Uraraka, Uraraka."

She didn't care, throwing a fist in the air with Sero and Kirishima. "Everyone! I'm gonna crush this!"

"Yeah but talk about inconsistent characterization!"

I found my food and dropped my hand on Uraraka's head. "Don't worry too much."

She didn't say anything as I went to go to the cafeteria, only for her, Iida and Midoriya to catch up to me before I got very far. _Damn these crutches._

"H-Hey, Hotaru. We were talking about why we were aiming to be heroes," Midoriya started. "What about you?"

"Hm? Oh, I was never really interested."

"What! How could you not want to be a hero!" Iida exclaimed, and I gave him a look.

"I never cared? You've got to remember, I was homeless up until now. This hero business was the last thing on my mind. My biggest concern was making sure I had enough food and water to live another week."

"O-Oh…" Midoriya muttered, but I quickly waved him off.

"No worries, man. I'm living now and that's what matters. I suppose I'm trying to be a hero now in order to not only keep off the streets, but to pay back Aizawa, the principal and the others for letting me come here. It's a little lame, but that's all I got so far. If I change my mind or come up with a better reason, I'll let you know."

"That's…" Midoriya smiled brightly, something in my chest clenching at the sight. "I think that's a great reason, right guys?"

They couldn't answer as All Might suddenly skid around the corner.

"Oh! Midoriya, kid! Found you!" He held up his bento shyly. "Wanna… eat lunch with me?"

Uraraka snorted as Midoriya blinked.

"Sure…"

"And young Hotaru, Recovery Girl wants to see you to ensure you were following her instructions on your health."

I groaned but turned to head towards the infirmary. "It's only been a day. Damn hag."

"H-Hotaru!" Midoriya chided me as I waved him off.

"I'll see you guys in class."

"Bye, Hotaru!"

I lifted my hand in a silent wave and headed off, mind buzzing over what I'd said earlier. _I won't get far with a half-assed dream like that. Aizawa said as much, but… do I really want to be a hero? I've been helping people so far, but for what purpose? Obligation? Selfishness? Just to keep myself from feeling guilty should they get hurt?_ I sighed, hobbling into the infirmary as Recovery Girl pat the bed beside her.

"Take a seat. I'll do another round of healing, but not enough to wear you out completely. You still need to eat, after all."

"All right," I muttered, still distracted with my thoughts as she took a look at my casted leg.

"What's bothering you, Hotaru?"

My eyes shifted to her and before I could question why she was asking, she cut me off.

"I am in charge of your health, Hotaru, and that includes mental health." She eyed me. "Dwelling on things isn't always healthy, so speak."

I frowned, taking a moment to figure out what I wanted to say to her. "Why did you want to become a hero?"

She didn't even pause. "The same reason everyone does; to help people."

"But I don't—"

"Why did you get your leg broken for your teacher?" She asked, making my protest falter. "Was it not in order to help him? Prevent _him_ from getting injured himself?"

"Y-Yeah, but—"

"But nothing," she countered, healing my leg once more and zapping some of my energy. "That is everyone's goal, whether they say so or not. Even if they try to hide it behind apparent selfishness; in the end, they still help. And you cannot deny that there may have been a way to help your teacher without the selfless sacrifice of your limb."

I stayed silent, trying to take her words to heart—to prove to myself that I had a reason to be in the school. Her hand settled on my leg before her cane hit me in the side where my still-tender ribs ached.

"You sacrificed your safety to help someone without a second thought, and that is the essence of being a hero. No matter the reasoning behind it. So, stop wallowing and eat your lunch. I need to do another blood test to check your iron levels." She sighed, moving to prep what she would need. "If the diet I have you on isn't raising them as high as I wish, you may need to take supplements.

_Joy, _I thought sarcastically, but begrudgingly muttered a small "Thanks…"

"Do not thank me, child. You still need to find a way to express why you're working to be a hero. No one can tell you that."

"Still," I grumbled, forcing myself to eat my lunch slowly as she instructed me to. "Thanks."

"Mm, now hold still."

* * *

I let out a yawn, covering my mouth as I prepped my crutches to head out of our last class and to the teacher's lounge._ Recovery Girl gave Aizawa a list of foods I can eat and cooking with these crutches is impossible. He gets to buy me dinner at the school's expense. At least it's good food and if he drags the other teachers along, it'll be more fun. Present Mic—as loud as he is—has some great stories on him. _I hobbled to the door behind some of the others, only to be forced to a halt by the crowd of General Studies students who came to scope us out.

"What's going on!"

"No way out! What're they here for?"

Bakugou, surprisingly enough, grunted out a response to Mineta's question. "Scoping out the competition, duh, small fry. Cuz we're the kids who survived the villain attack. Makes sense they'd want a look before the Sport's Festival. No point though. Move aside, cannon fodder."

"Can we please not resort to calling those we don't know 'cannon fodder?'" Iida called out, being ignored as I sighed.

"They _are_ in the way though. I've got to meet with Aizawa-sensei."

A bored-looking purple-haired kid stepped out of the crowd, rubbing the back of his neck as he eyed Bakugou.

"It's true. We came to get a look, but you sure are modest. Are all the kids in the Hero Course like this one?"

"Huh?" Bakugou growled as I pinched the bridge of my nose in exasperation.

"Please don't pick a fight. I don't have time for this."

The new guy—Hitoshi Shinso—hardly cared. "Gotta say, I'm a little disillusioned if this is what you're offering. Those of us who didn't make the Hero Course as stuck in General Studies and the other tracks. There're quite a few of us; did you know that? Depending on the results of the Sport's Festival, they might consider transferring us to the Hero Course. I understand the reverse is also possible for you. Scoping out the competition? For a General Studies kid like me, this'll be the perfect chance to know you off your pedestals. Consider this a declaration of war."

Before anyone could say anything, another person shouted from further back.

"Hey, I'm from Class 1-B next door! Heard you guys fought some villains. Wanted to find out more, but all I'm seeing is this arrogant bastard! You better not make fools of the Hero Course at this thing!"

Bakugou didn't care and began to shove his way through the mob as Kirishima shouted at his back.

"Wait, you jerk. What're you doing to us! Thanks to you, we've got a whole mob of haters now!"

"I don't give a crap," Bakugou grumbled. "I'm heading to the top. Why should I care?"

"Tch. So straightforward and manly," Kirishima quivered.

Tokoyami agreed. "The top. He's not wrong."

"Don't let him play you!" Kaminari argued. "All he's doing is winning us enemies!"

I changed and ignored my crutches and bag falling to the ground as my feathered body landed on a steaming Bakugou's shoulder.

"Oi, get off me, mutt!"

"Just get me past the mob of people with too much time on their hands, and I will." I turned my large, half-lidded golden eyes to him. "You owe me, remember?"

He clenched his fist with a growl. "Fine!"

"You don't care either, Hotaru?"

I gave the group in the doorway a bored look as Bakugou grabbed my bag and crutches. "Should I? Everyone's going to be competing with everyone. And I doubt they even change classes. That guy was just trying to unnerve everyone. If you have any self-confidence, it shouldn't bug you. Your dream is to become a hero, isn't it? That shouldn't waver just because of something someone who doesn't even know you says."

"Being an owl really suits you," Asui commented. "That was very wise."

"Don't credit _me_ with anything," I grumbled, turning away as my feather puffed a bit in embarrassment. "I just don't want to be late meeting Aizawa."

Kirishima pumped a fist. "She's right! Who cares what they think? Let's go, guys!"

I rolled my eyes as the others surged forward and was unsurprised by the General Studies students making way for them in their new-found confidence. What _did_ bother me a bit, was Shinso eyeing me while Bakugou separated us from the mob.

"There! Now get off me, bird-brain!" Bakugou complained, but I hummed, seeing a problem.

"Normally, I would, but I didn't think this change out properly. I can't carry my things like this."

"So, change again, dammit!"

"Don't think that'll help. You'd be better off ditching me at the teacher's lounge where Aizawa can cancel my Quirk. It's only a two-minute walk."

"No way! I helped you and you'll keep your damn beak shut about what happened! That was the deal!" He snapped, hands sparking, and I leaned away from his head.

"Two minutes more won't kill you, ya know. And do you _need_ to shout?"

"Just try changing, dammit!"

"Fine, fine," I hopped off his shoulder and changed again in the hopes of something useful if only to keep him from shouting at me more.

I changed into a seal, rolling on my stomach and giving him an unamused look as he grit his teeth with a growl.

"Again!"

Sighing, I tried one more time and stared at him from the ground as a fluffy, brown and white guinea pig, and huffed. "See? Told you it'd be no good."

"Agh! You weren't even trying! Again!"

"No good. I can change three times, then I'm stuck for an hour. Just help me out, Hot-Head. You could've been done by now, you know."

"Fine!" He reached for me and I resisted a flinch, not knowing if he'd crush me in his frustration, but he was surprisingly gentle as he dropped me onto his shoulder.

Of course, he muttered complaints the whole way there, but I got the feeling he was more annoyed by Present Mic's snicker when he went to drop me off.

"Here! Happy now, mutt! Don't bother me again!" He snapped, leaving me on Aizawa's desk.

Said teacher sent me an odd look. "How'd you convince him to get you here?"

I stared silently at the door he'd left through as Aizawa canceled my Quirk. "Told him I'd blab to the whole school about saving him at the USJ."

Aizawa just snorted and gathered his things. "Brat."

* * *

"It's the U.A.'s Sport's Festival! The one time each year when our fledgling heroes compete in a ruthless grand battle!" Present Mic called out to the crowd. "First up, you know who I'm talkin' about! The miraculous rising stars who brushed off a villain attack with their steely willpower! The first-years of the Hero Course! It's Class A!"

"Whoa, w-what a crowd," Midoriya stuttered as we walked out to the cheers of the audience.

"And we're expected to put on the best performance we can in front of so many spectators," Iida mused. "I suppose this is merely one more necessary skill if we hope to become heroes."

I grunted, chomping on a protein bar as I looked around; all healed up and feeling healthier than I'd ever been between training and my diet. "I'm less worried about the crowd and moreover what I'm going to do in this mess."

"That's right, huh? Your Quirk has so many limits…" Midoriya mused before I shoved his head down and ruffled his hair.

"Don't worry about me. Focus on your own goals, Midoriya. Everyone here is now potential competition. Just do your best and I'm sure it'll work out."

He nodded, looking a little more confident than a moment ago. "Right!"

A whip cracked, and Midnight stood before us with a seductive grin.

"Now, for the athlete's oath! Pipe down! Your student representative is from Class 1-A, Katsuki Bakugou!"

"Wha! It's Kacchan?" Midoriya screeched, and Sero nodded.

"Must be because he placed first in the entrance exam."

"As nice as it is to know there's a brain in that Hot-Head," I spoke up, "did anyone rehearse what he was supposed to say? If not, we're about to get a _lot_ more enemies."

They paled as Bakugou reached the mic, hands not moving from his pockets.

"The athlete's oath… make no mistake about it. I'm gonna take first place!"

The other students booed as he brought a hand across his throat.

"You'll all make great stepping stones, I'd say."

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck as Bakugou bumped into Midoriya's shoulder. Unbeknownst to him, I'd stuck my foot out at the same time, and he nearly tripped—whipping around to glare at me with silent threats as I shrugged with a far-too-innocent grin.

"Now, without any delay, let's get the first event started!" Midnight called out as Uraraka sighed.

"Everything at U.A.'s always without delay."

"It's good in this case," I muttered, catching her attention. "Keeps us from focusing on what Hot-Head said, thus preventing possible fights from starting too soon."

She hit her fist into her palm in understanding as the first event was chosen.

"An obstacle course…" Midoriya breathed out as I sighed.

"It's the entrance exam all over again."

"It's a race between every member of all eleven classes!" Midnight explained as we prepped ourselves in front of the gate out. "The course is a four-kilometer lap around the stadium itself! Our school preaches freedom in all things! Heh, heh, heh. So, as long as you don't go off course, anything is fair game! Racers, to your positions!"

_To change or not to change? _I mused, thinking as the lights began to change above the gate in a countdown. _There's time between events, and only three really matter. This, the cavalry battle, and the one-on-one battles. The gap between the last two is more than an hour. I should be fine._

"Start!"

Everyone charged in, but I wasn't clueless. Even if I didn't have foreknowledge, I could tell the exit outside was too narrow. _Well, change number one, here I go._ I shifted and grinned, jumping on top of heads and racing for the front. My long brown tail trailed behind me but as a spider monkey, jumping from person to person to reach the head of the group was easy. _Good change on the first go. Lucky me. I might be able to use this in the cavalry battle too._ I wasn't the only one to burst past and I joined most of my class in getting past Todoroki's frozen ice floor. I remembered the robots then too and jumped right over Mineta—grabbing him with my prehensile tail just as a robot swung out to hit him. Being a smaller monkey, I couldn't do much about carrying him or setting him down gently, but he hardly seemed to mind upon spotting the large zero-point robots from the entrance exam.

"You okay, Mineta?" I asked, eyeing the robots as he quivered on the ground beside me.

"W-Why'd you save me?"

I blinked, idly picking a speck of dirt out of the fur on my tail. "It's a Sport's Festival, not an exam. I'm not being graded, and Midnight said it already, didn't she? This school prides itself on freedom. _So,_ I'm free to do whatever I want."

I felt I should've probably been offended by the look he shot me that seemed to scream I was being an idiot. However, my attention returned to the large robots as Todoroki froze them.

"There's a gap! It's our chance!"

"Don't," I warned. "They're going to fall."

Sure enough, the robots toppled over, and I bid farewell to those of our class still left, only to land on Midoriya's shoulder and startle him.

"Hotaru!"

I blinked, having not really paid attention to the unfortunate people I'd been landing on. "Oh, hey."

"Hey? T-There're robots a-and you don't even look bothered!"

"I'm fast and nimble, and they're big, bumbling, slow pieces of metal. Really, Midoriya. Think smarter, not harder. If you don't want to use your Quirk, you're gonna have to work around it. I'm not the only one with a lot of limits."

"Right. Thanks."

"No prob. Later!" I called out, leaping away and easily scrambling up one of the robots in our way.

When I heard familiar 'clicks' behind me though, I grinned, grabbing hold of the projectile blasting his way past.

"Wha—Get off me, mutt!"

I smiled, easily dodging his hand. "Do I _look_ like a dog to you, Hot-Head? Besides, this is _way_ easier than walking."

He growled, charging up another blast just as we reached the next obstacle. "I _said,_ get off!"

I dodged the fire and leaped onto a rope connecting one of the many stone pillars overhanging a cliff. "Thanks for the ride!"

"You damn monkey!" He snapped, rushing after me. "I'll kill you for distracting me!"

_Oops, perhaps I went too far? I'm running for my life now, instead of having fun… Nah, I'm still enjoying myself. He's just too easy to mess with. _I chuckled, dodging more fire and leaping to another rope as the one I'd been on burnt to ashes.

"Get back here!"

"Uh, no?" I replied as he continued to shout.

Others were beginning to catch up now, and once Bakugou and I reached the next area, I pulled to a halt. _No good. Until more people arrive for me to use as posts to jump on, I've got to take it slow. How troublesome._

"You damn monkey," Bakugou growled from behind me and I stiffened. "I'll fucking kill you."

"U-Uh, as fun as that would be, can we postpone my brutal murder? I-I don't think I'm quick enough to—Ah!" I yelped, dodging a fiery fist and begrudgingly making a mad dash for my life across the minefield. "Y-You'll really kill me if I land on a mine, you moron!" I felt a 'click' under me and hastily jumped away as a mine went off, singing my tail. "Are you listening, Baka-moron! We're gonna die! Weren't you aiming for first place? Stop chasing me!"

"I'll kill you _and_ get first!" He snapped, barely missing me again. "Stop dodging!"

"Absolutely _not!_" I screeched, seeing now that he'd chased me right into Todoroki's path. "Shit!" I jumped, leaping off Todoroki's head as Bakugou made to pass him as well.

"This crap can't slow me down!" He shouted, glaring at Todoroki. "You, your declaration of war was to the wrong person."

The two began fighting and a sigh of relief escaped me. _I can go back to getting across safely, thought if they realize I'm in the lead—_

"Who's in the lead?" Present Mic's voice shouted over the intercom. "Todoroki and Bakugou are neck-and-neck! But who's the monkey just ahead of them? Ah! It's Class 1-A's Hotaru Mirai!"

_Shit._ I stiffened as Todoroki and Bakugou both simultaneously stopped fighting each other and turned to me.

"Damn monkey… Get back here!"

"Eep!" I yelped as I dodged fire _and_ ice as best I could.

_Mine, mine, fire, ice, fire, mine, ice. Goddammit! I-I don't even _want_ first place!_ I purposely triggered a mine to stop the ice heading my way, cringing when I couldn't twist enough to completely dodge one of Bakugou's blasts. Then, a loud explosion went off behind us just as Bakugou's hand wrapped around my tail. I fell to the ground and mentally thanked Midoriya as he sailed past—Bakugou releasing me to rush after him. As he used a second blast to move into first, I rose and returned to jumping on those ahead of me—managing to somehow get back into the stadium in fourth.

I sank to the ground in relief, letting out a long sigh as I tried to get my breath back. _Note to self: don't taunt Bakugou if I want to live through this mess._

"Deku, you were amazing!" Uraraka praised as I headed closer.

"To think I'd place so low with a Quirk such as my own…" Iida quivered as I clambered up to his shoulder and slumped over him lazily.

"Could've been worse. I only got as far as I did by running for my life. Bakugou was seriously trying to kill me."

"Uraraka, Iida, Hotaru!" Midoriya said in relief.

"Congrats on first place, but damn, it stings!" Uraraka grinned at him as he hid his face.

"No, I just…"

I hopped over to his shoulders, nearly toppling before righting myself. "Oi, none of this moping, you dope. You got first and are a step closer to your goal. Be proud. Not just anyone could do that without using their Quirk. Using your head and preventing getting hurt yourself is amazing in its own right. Got it?"

He cracked a small grin. "Yeah, you're probably right. Thanks, Hotaru. For the advice earlier too."

"Yeah, I should probably listen to my _own_ advice too. I nearly died out there thanks to Mr. Hot-Head," I grumbled, looking over my singed tail as Midnight presented our results and began to explain what we'd be doing for the second event.

"Now then, onto today's heart-pounding second event! I already know what it will be, but the suspense is killing me! What could it be? Well, I'll tell you! Behold!"

"Human cavalry…" Kaminari bit out with a grimace.

"But that's not a game that works with players playing as individuals. How will it work?"

"With teams, obviously," I grumbled, landing on Asui's shoulders. "Teamwork is important for heroes in the field. Any hero around will respond to a villain attack and you have to know how to work with them if you want to succeed."

Midnight continued. "You can all form 2-4-person teams freely and form a horse-back configuration! Basically, it's the same rules as a normal human cavalry battle. Swipe enemy riders' headbands and guard your own, except for one thing. Everyone will receive points based on performance in the last trial!"

"If it's anything like the entrance exam's point system, then it'll be easy to understand," Sato explained. "Which means that the point value of each human war-horse will change based on who's in it!"

"Don't say what I was gonna say before I can!" Midnight shouted in annoyance. "But, yes, that's right! And the number of points you're worth will be five points is you placed 42nd. Ten if you placed 41st, fifteen for 40th, and so on… with the exception of 1st place, whose head is worth ten million points!"

Midoriya paled. "T-Ten million?"

"If I were you, I'd aim for the guy who placed first! This is the chance for the low to supplement the high! Welcome to our survival game!" Midnight called out. "There's more suffering ahead for those at the top. As you must have heard countless times since enrolling at U.A., this is plus ultra! After taking first place in the qualifiers, Izuku Midoriya has got ten million points!"

I watched him grow paler still, eyeing his shoes as his fists quivered at his side. With a small sigh, I jumped over and landed on his shoulder, startling him.

"Get yourself together, Midoriya," I muttered, giving those still eyeing him an annoyed look to get them to pay attention to Midnight. "Heroes have to deal with pressure like this all the time. From villains, media, even other heroes. Don't let it get to you."

"W-Why are you helping me? Aren't you going to come after me too?"

I raised a brow. "What for? There's always a big fight for the top, but _I_ can get points elsewhere. Fighting over you with the others is a waste of my time, and I honestly don't care how I do in this mess. I'll fight to keep going, but I'm not gonna kill myself to get there, you know?"

"Not really," he admitted, and I shrugged. "But, I think you should find something to fight for, Hotaru. Actually, um… I think you might have a reason already, but you just don't realize it."

I watched him for a moment, curious but also confused as to why he thought that. He got more nervous under my stare and fidgeted.

"N-Not that I-I really know, b-but I don't think you'd be helping all of us w-without reason. A-And you wouldn't even be trying i-if you didn't care a little bit, right?"

"I suppose," I hummed, seeing people starting to move around. "Head's up, Midoriya. Looks like it's time to pick teams."

"Ah! W-Would you—"

"Nope!" I chirped, grinning at him as his mouth dropped open in shock. "I'm not planning on being the center of Bakugou's attention this round, sorry. I've got a different plan in mind, but I wish you luck." I caught sight of red and white hair in the distance. "Watch out for Todoroki's team."

"W-What?"

"Bakugou can get easily distracted, especially if someone snatches his headband, but Todoroki is smart. He'll think out his team to win and he will stop at nothing to accomplish that. That's my advice for you."

"T-Thanks," he muttered, looking over that way. "I'll remember that."

"Good luck, Midoriya."

"You too."

I hopped off, jumping on shoulders to get to the person I had in mind. _Yeah, I'll need luck too, if I'm gonna convince this guy. _I landed on his shoulder and leaned my head around his purple hair.

"Shinso, right? Let's team-up."

He raised a brow. "I'm listening."

_Good. He's not asking me anything, hence I'm not answering, and he can't use his Quirk. He's giving me a chance. _"All the others will be busy getting the top headband. We can stay on the outskirts and gather up the lower ones. There'll be plenty to get a decent place, so long as we avoid those teams that will garner attention. Avoid the noise and still win with the least amount of effort."

He looked curious, but I knew he would ask questions. It was risky teaming up with him due to Quirk, but he was my best shot in this form. _Rather risk being brainwashed and win, then lose with a weaker team. _My mind paused on that thought. _Maybe Midoriya's right. Why _do_ I want to win?_

"Why not work with your own class? Why work with me?"

I shrugged. "My own class will figure it out and unlike them, I'm willing to branch out more. Part of being a hero is making connections. Working with those in other departments, with Quirks I don't know about seems beneficial in the long run. As for why you in particular…" I eyed him, and he did the same in return. "You're smart. That much was obvious from the time you were in front of our class. I'm willing to bet you're only in General Studies because of that bogus physical entrance exam. Your Quirk just wasn't suited for it. _So,_ you're probably planning something similar to what I had in mind. Why _not_ work together?"

"And what use are you to me?"

"I'm a spider monkey. So long as I don't touch the ground, I can easily jump from group to group and grab headbands. I can even jump _past_ groups and grab them with my tail. You don't want me, that's fine, but we're running out of time. Teams are being chosen and there's not that many people left. So? What'll it be?"

"All right. Welcome to the team."

Then, my mind went blank.


	6. Chapter 6

By the time he stopped using his Quirk on me, we'd been announced as the third-place team and I blinked. _Not unexpected. I'd rather I did the work on my own, but I assumed he'd use his Quirk anyway and it was sort of a good thing too. It'd be harder to explain to Aoyama and Ojiro if I was the only one _not_ used._ I looked to Shinso with a small quirk of my lips.

"Clever. A mind control Quirk. Looks like I was right about the entrance exam."

He frowned slightly. "You're not…"

"Bothered? Upset? What for?" I hummed, pulling off the headbands wrapped around my body. "I'm not injured, and we placed third, thus moving on to the next round. It's a little odd, but what Quirk isn't? I have no qualms about being used because I was asking for it anyway. Just the fact that you agreed to use me, means I was helpful, which is good enough for me. Glad to be of use to you, Shinso. Hope to work with you again." I leaped off his shoulder, cracking a small smile at his final word.

"Same."

_Looks like I made a powerful ally in the General Studies. Now, I wonder if anyone in Support would be willing to team up. I've got an idea for something that could help me when I change, but I don't know if it's even possible._ I shook my head. _No. Don't think about it now. Later… later._

"We'll proceed to the afternoon portion after a one-hour lunch break!" Present Mic announced, and I let out a sigh of relief.

_Thank God_. _I won't be screwed next round, and I get to eat. _I bounded away, hitching a ride on Uraraka so I had someone to help me get food until I changed back. I then headed out with the others, cleverly avoiding Kaminari and Mineta's trick to get all the girls in cheerleader uniforms. _I won't be fooled so easily, but I'm not about to warn the others. It's kinda sad that they took those two's word on it._ It was then that Midnight announced that we'd be drawing lots to decide who fought who in the one-on-one tournament, only to pause when Ojiro lifted his hand.

"I'd… like to drop out."

"Ojiro, why! This is your chance to get noticed by the pros!"

He grimaced. "The cavalry battle… I have no memories of anything that happened up until the tail end. It's probably _his_ Quirk that did it," he explained, glancing at Shinso. "I know this is a great opportunity and I know how stupid it must seem to throw it away, but this final tournament… everyone else made it here by their own strength. Yet, I'm standing here, and I don't even know how or why. I just can't take it."

The others went to argue further, but I stopped them.

"Oi, it's his choice. If he doesn't feel it's right, then let him go."

The other student from class 1-B that was used withdrew as well, but I stayed, making Midoriya eye me.

"W-Weren't you on their team too?"

I grunted an affirmative. "Yeah, but I knew what I was getting into and…" I tipped my head slightly. "I kinda want to see where this gets me. Maybe I'll figure it out, what I'm fighting for."

He smiled a little as we drew lots and the results were posted. I groaned at seeing who I was going up against.

"Oh, doesn't the universe just hate me…"

"I get to fight the mutt?" Bakugou looked over his shoulder at me with a wicked smirk, hands sparking. "Prepared to get wrecked."

I gave him my best deadpan look. "Oh, joy. Can't wait."

We started to split up, so the others could do the trials assigned to them and the tournament students could deal with what was to come. _I screwed it up again, _I mused, grabbing a bottle of water and taking a drink as I wandered the halls. _Uraraka was supposed to fight him. While it's not a _huge_ change, it could screw things up for her later._

"And for me," I muttered, scratching the back of my head.

_How hard do I try in this fight? Do I even fight? Ugh, Bakugou would be pissed if I just didn't try, but there's no way I can just beat him. I'm way outmatched here. My only shot at trying to win is to use his temper to try and lure him out of bounds and—_I cut my thoughts off, staring down at my water with a frown. _What am I saying? I can't win. I can't try and win because he has to go on to fight Todoroki._ I heard talking then and tapped on the door to the waiting room where Midoriya and Ojiro were talking.

"Yo. You figure out Shinso's Quirk yet?"

"Hotaru!"

"Shouldn't you be worried about your own fight?" Ojiro asked, eyeing me as I pulled out a chair. "It _is_ Bakugou."

I waved him off. "I'll figure something out. Maybe you'll give me some tips if I let you know everything I figured out about Shinso, eh, Midoriya?"

His gaze went serious and I resisted the smug grin that threatened to spread across my face. "What do you know?"

"It's a mind-control, brain-washing Quirk. You respond back to any question he asks you, and he can take control and make you do whatever he wants."

Ojiro frowned, fists clenching. "You _knew?_"

"Oh, no. Had no clue when I asked to team up with him," I lied with an ease I was almost uncomfortable with, calming him down.

"You _wanted_ to team up with him?" Midoriya squeaked.

"Yeah. I knew he was smart from when he popped up outside our classroom. I assumed someone that clever would have been in the Heroics Course if they didn't get screwed over by the practical entrance exam. Can't use mind control on robots," I hummed. "Anyway, I assumed we'd both have the same goal in mind; win without the effort of fighting for the top. I was right. I didn't really mind being controlled either."

"What!"

"That was his Quirk. Why be here fighting for the top, for recognition, if he was never going to use it?" I questioned. "No offense, Midoriya."

He waved me off as I continued.

"Besides, we got third, no one was hurt or mistreated, and I was proved to be useful. I bet he doesn't even know what the extent of my Quirk is either. He worked with me and didn't make me change or anything. Mutual respect."

They both looked at me in disbelief before Midoriya shook his head.

"So, what do I do?"

"Keep your mouth shut," I said bluntly, making him sputter. "If you don't say anything, don't give him the opportunity to use his Quirk, then you win. He's not preparing for a fight. It's the one downside to him. He relies solely on his Quirk, He _expects_ you to screw up and let him in, even knowing what his ability is. If you don't a physical fight will force him to give up. He's not built for fighting." I sighed, dropping my chin in my hand. "If he worked on a form of hand-to-hand combat, he could be great. As he is right now, it'd be far too easy to make him lose. If you _do_ screw up though, find some way to focus your mind. Pain usually works best, I would think. Snaps you out of it, if you're lucky."

Ojiro looked at me in surprise. "You… You're actually really smart, aren't you, Hotaru?"

I shot him an annoyed look. "Homeless doesn't equal stupid, you know. And if it weren't for the practical part of the exam, I would've been the top freshman, you know. I got top marks on the written portion."

His mouth dropped open in shock as Midoriya cracked a small smile.

"Thanks, Hotaru, for the tips."

"Hey, I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna win this mess," I admitted. "Figured I'd help someone who has a better shot than me."

"What if you do?" Ojiro questioned. "Win your fight with Bakugou, I mean."

I looked at him like he'd grown three heads. "Seriously?"

He shrugged as Midoriya chuckled.

"I think you could do it if you tried."

"Well, first off, I'd get damn good health insurance because if I beat him, he'll try to kill me on a daily basis," I replied, earning chuckles from the two as I smirked. "As for fighting, well… I suppose I could pull a few tricks out of my sleeves for you and Todoroki."

Midoriya flushed a bit, for some reason—_Is it my smirk? Oh, please no. Not him. He and Uraraka are supposed to_—

"So, about my fight with Hot-Head…"

* * *

I stuffed my hands deep into my pockets, thinking about the few tips Midoriya and Ojiro gave me. _They're things I already knew. As I thought, using his temper to my advantage is my best bet. _I pulled a hand out and looked at it with a scowl. _Now, if only my Quirk weren't so damn useless. It never cooperates when I want it to and I know that if I change into anything unhelpful, I'll lose. Simple as that. _I clenched it into a fist. _I'll have to just not use it. I've been working with Aizawa on honing my survival instincts and some fighting techniques. That's my best shot for now. _I groaned and ruffled my hair in frustration. _Dammit. Why couldn't I have been ditched in this world with something useful?_

It took me a moment to calm myself and ease some of the tension in my body. _Why do I care anyway? It's not like I'm trying to win, right?_ With that in mind, I went on walking the halls, searching for a vending machine that may have ice cream. _What Recovery Girl doesn't know won't hurt. _That being said, Karma decided to deliver another blow. The hallway with the vending machine I was searching for was just past two people I _really_ didn't want to deal with.

"You disgrace me, Shoto," Endeavor snarled to Todoroki, who just kept walking. "You could've crushed both the obstacle course and the cavalry battle if you'd used your left side. Grow up. Stop rebelling like some petulant child. Remember, your duty is to surpass All Might. Understand? You're different than your brothers. You're my greatest creation!"

_Oh, I'm gonna hate myself for this later, _I mused as I stepped into the hall.

"Oh, you're worse than Hot-Head with those remarks, old man," I complained loudly, catching both his and Todoroki's attention.

"Hotaru…"

Endeavor glared—something which would have possibly made Midoriya piss himself, but I just stared back blankly. "Stay out of this, brat."

"Brat? The only brat I see here is the cranky old man who is trying to force his own ideals onto his kid because he could only be _second best._"

Endeavor took a more purposeful stance, looking furious as Todoroki tried to step in.

"Stay out of it, Hotaru. This is _my_ fight."

"As lame as it sounds, I'm not going to sit by while someone is being put down," I countered, locking gazes with Endeavor. "Besides, what's he gonna do? Burn me? Oh, but that would make him a villain, wouldn't it? Can't get top hero if you're going around hurting kids, because you're too childish to keep your temper."

The heat in the hall increased, and Endeavor grabbed the front of my uniform, pinning me to the wall with a snarl.

"Who would believe you over me? I'm a pro hero."

"That's cute," I mocked him. "Except, I'm not afraid of you. If I was, then maybe you'd have a point. Thing is, Todoroki here is a witness. Now, it's two words against one. Further still, even if you somehow spook him into not saying anything, how easy would it be for me to butter it up? A few tears, sob story to the media about how big, scary Endeavor set me on fire over nothing." I cracked a smirk. "You think it's hard to be a number two hero? Try being the hero who hurt a kid and let's see how far that number drops."

He growled, fire inching closed but never touching. My mind was honestly in a panic, shouting at me as to why I was challenging him in such a stupid way. My poker-face stayed in place though, never changing, even as he released me.

"I'll make sure you _never_ make it into the hero world," he snarled as I shrugged.

"Yeah, don't care. You'll find I don't listen to assholes with power complexes." I brushed him off, fixing my rumpled uniform. "I'll tell you what though." My eyes narrowed. "Todoroki will surpass you in every way. Whether he uses his left side or not. And the best part is? It'll never be for you. He'll do it for himself in his own way because it's _his_ Quirk. I don't care who is parents are. If the Quirk was hereditary or whatever. It's his. His body, his Quirk, his choice on how he uses it or if he uses it at all. Nothing you say will ever make me think otherwise. So, do us all a favor and piss off. I'm tired of listening to garbage today and so far, you're the worst. Honestly. Don't know how you became a hero," I scoffed. "You should seriously do some memory searching to remember your initial reason because you're whole 'rivalry with All Might' is just bullshit that'll lead you closer and closer to becoming a villain."

He never responded, just stormed off, leaving heat and scorch marks on the tiled floor as I huffed.

"Asshat."

"Why did you do that?" Todoroki questioned, sounding angry as his fists clenched at his side.

"Weren't you listening?" I grumbled, moving to the vending machine. "I don't tolerate bullying. Don't care who's doing it to whom. I'm not about to walk past and let it continue—Aw, man! He melted all the ice cream!" I complained at the sight of the inside of the vending machine.

"You had no right. This is _my fight!_" Todoroki snapped, shooting ice at said machine, and I calmly glanced over at him.

"Don't care whose fight it was. I'm my own person, just like you are. It was my choice to get involved and I'll have to deal with those consequences."

"He'll ruin your career!"

I raised a brow. _Is he… concerned?_ "Look, Todoroki. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I don't even know if I _want_ to be a hero." I stepped over and pat his left shoulder, making him stiffen. "And even if I did, what sort of hero would I be if I let someone like that get in my way?"

I let him go and headed down the hall, waving over my shoulder.

"Good luck, Todoroki. Go show the world you're better than him, would ya?"

I rounded the corner and stopped, waiting until I heard the footsteps retreat and the crowd cheer. Then, I sank to the ground and leaned heavily against the wall, hand clenched around the fabric of my uniform and covered in a cold sweat.

"S-Shit… I-I just picked a f-fight with _Endeavor_," I breathed out, chuckling shakily. "I-I'm a God damn fool. A-A crazy, God damn fool."

* * *

_And let's not forget this mess._ I grimaced as I stood just inside the arena, waiting for Midnight to announce my fight. _Everything else has gone smoothly, but one small move and I could wreck the plot. Yet, I don't want to just back out. That'd be so much easier._

"_I think you might have a reason already, but just don't realize it yet."_

I sighed at remembering Midoriya's words. _Either way, until I figure it out, I'm just gonna do what I originally planned. Let's just hope it doesn't get me killed._

"For the last matchup of the first round… a celebrity since his middle school days, with a face only a mother could love, it's Katsuki Bakugou of the Hero Course! Versus… Hotaru Mirai, the dark horse who's shocked us the most, also from the Hero Course!"

Bakugou smirked, hands sparking as I stepped into the circle with him, scratching the back of my head awkwardly.

"You better be ready, mutt. I'm gonna get payback for your trick in the obstacle course."

"I was just trying to get ahead. I don't even _want_ first place," I muttered, earning a frown.

"Don't you _dare_ think of backing out early, mutt."

"Why not?" I questioned, a little confused. "It'd benefit both of us, right? You move up, closer to first and I get out of this unscathed." _Mostly unscathed. I forgot to go see Recovery Girl about the burn on my lower back from dealing with him before._

"Start!"

"I won't let you!" Bakugou shouted, charging forward and making my eyes widen. "Don't you look down on me, mutt!"

I dodged the blast by just a hair. "O-Oi, who said anything about looking down on you?"

"Fight back, dammit!" He shouted, throwing another blast but when I dodged it this time, he'd expected it.

A fist hit my check and I faltered back, spitting blood off to one side. _Bit my tongue but why just a plain punch?_ I didn't have time to think about it before I bent backward to dodge yet another hit. I could feel my balance going and grimaced as I placed my palms on the ground, swinging my legs up quickly and catching a surprised Bakugou in the chin.

"Ah, shit," I muttered when I was back upright. "Now, I've done it."

Bakugou's fired-up gaze latched onto me as I slipped into a defensive stance.

"Well, fuck me."

Bakugou charged back in and instead of full-on dodging, I did it minutely and used smooth movements to redirect his hits. It worked for a moment before he grew annoyed and I caught a blast to the shoulder and a kick to the chest. I skidded back, trying to catch my breath as I eyed him.

"Why aren't you using your Quirk?" He growled.

_Because I have three chances and if I get a dud, I'm screwed. But he knows that. _I didn't understand what his problem was. It made no sense to me why he was so angry. _He's treating me like Midoriya, almost. But I'm not even on his level. I'm outmatched, so why—_

"Pay attention!"

My eyes widened and I couldn't dodge the fist that hit my stomach, knocking me back. _Shit! I'll be thrown out of bounds!_ I winced, waiting for my back to hit the ground, but it never happened.

"What's this?" Present Mic's voice called out over the speakers as I looked at Bakugou in shock. "Hotaru would have been knocked out of bounds, but Bakugou stepped in and caught her! Is this some strange show of comradery?"

"No," Aizawa cut in. "He's trying to get her to realize something. Hotaru's not trying to win."

"What!"

I felt my heart clench in my chest, _feeling_ Aizawa's disappointment. I was thrown forward, back into the center of the ring, and Bakugou's hands sparked as he glared at me threateningly.

"Fight me properly, mutt. Stop playing games."

I pushed myself onto my feet, struggling to figure it all out. _But why? Why fight? Why was I worried to be thrown out of bounds? Why do I want to win? I can't win without a reason, right? So, why? Why? _I cringed, doubling over as I was hit again, feeling something ache in my side. _Fractured rib? Bruised?_

"Stop thinking!" Bakugou shouted, aiming a kick that I blocked poorly with my forearm. "You and Deku are always the same! Fight me properly, or I'll kill you!"

"Why!" I shouted back, making him pause in his next attack.

"Huh? Who cares?"

"W-Who cares?" I questioned, getting frustrated now. "You fight to be a top hero. Midoriya fights to be like All Might. Iida to be like his brother. Uraraka to support her family. I don't have that. I don't have anything like that!"

"Hah?" He questioned, cracking his knuckles. "You're fighting to live, aren't you?"

I blinked, mind sputtering to a halt. "What?"

He growled, launching forward with flaming fists as I dodged. "You're dodging!"

"You'll kill me if I don't!" I countered, seeing his smirk.

"Then, why aren't you stopping! We could end this if you just hold still!"

"I-I don't want to die!"

"That's good enough!"

I hesitated, earning another punch to the face as Bakugou huffed.

"Damn mutt. Do you get it yet? I'll kill you if you don't."

_T-That's good enough? Fighting to survive is good enough? _I stood straight again, rubbing my aching jaw.

"That's fine?"

He scowled. "That's what I said. Don't make me repeat it, mutt. You don't wanna die, you don't wanna get hurt, that's your reason." He shifted into an offensive position. "Now, stop playing around. I'm tired of your games."

I could feel a wild, crazed grin come over my face, unable to stop it at the giddy feeling growing in me. _It's okay. Fighting to survive, to not get hurt, to have to fight off anyone other than myself, and __**that's okay.**_

"All right, let's go, Hot-Head."

"It's about time, mutt!"

We both rushed at each other and I allowed that familiar tingle to run through my body as his hand neared my face. His blast flew right over me as I changed, launching up at him from below as a grey wolf. My mouth latched onto his arm and I threw him aside before he could hit me with his other fist. Both our eyes were alight in eagerness as we charged again—me in a more unpredictable zigzag pattern. I acted like I was going to jump up at him and he reacted in turn, but I dove under his legs and changed again. I kicked him hard in the back, balancing on my tail and grinning away as he was tossed head-over-heels, catching himself just before hitting the out-of-bound line.

"What's wrong, Baka-gou?" I teased, standing back on my long, powerful kangaroo legs. "You're awfully close to that line. Do you regret pushing me yet?"

"Not even close, mutt."

He dashed in and I could see how he was beginning to get more serious. He was thinking out his moves now, not being as reckless. He was landing more hits and I was starting to feel it. _Can't go on much longer. Need to change again and lure him out to the edge. It's the only way I could possibly win, but this is my last change._ I grit my teeth, stumbling back as I was hit hard across the face. _Let's hope this change is worth it._

I shifted and felt my breath catch in my throat. Bakugou had known I was changing. He'd charged in, hands aflame to try and catch me the moment my change had been revealed. Problem was, it wasn't a good one. His eyes widened but he couldn't stop. His forward momentum was already pushing his blast directly at me; a startled baby deer caught in the headlights.

"Shit!" He cursed, trying to shift his attack as much as he could—the same moment I got my legs working enough to try and bolt away.

Fire passed over me and I cringed, feeling the flame and smelling burnt flesh as I was thrown to the ground. The stadium went quiet and footsteps started to approach.

"This match is—"

_No._ I grit my teeth, forcing my still-smoking body upright, much to everyone's shock. Even Bakugou couldn't seem to believe it.

"O-Oi, what're you gawking at, Hot-Head?" I asked, fighting not to cringe as I forced my legs to move.

He frowned, looking at Midnight, but the woman shrugged.

"We're not done yet," I growled as his eyes turned towards me.

"What're you gonna do?" He asked, and I mentally questioned myself.

"I can still k-kick your ass."

His eye twitched. "Yeah, right."

"I can outsmart you," I pressed. "You're just worried I'll win w-without my Quirk, right?"

He grit his teeth. "Shut up."

"You are, aren't you? D-Don't want to get beaten by a deer like me? How embarrassing would that be? The great Bakugou beat by an injured doe." I smirked. "You know what? That sounds awfully familiar, doesn't it?"

"Don't you dare," he growled, catching on.

"Hm? Dare to what? To maybe mention how I saved—"

"You asked for this, mutt!" He shouted, launching towards me as I grinned.

_Moron. You wouldn't be pleased if I'd given up just now when I could've kept going. This way, you can knock me out and win properly._ I swallowed thickly, feeling fear well up in me as he got closer. _B-But damn, am I scared._

He was seconds away when I felt tingling again. _W-What? But this was… T-This was my last change!_ It didn't matter at this moment though. My Quirk took over much like it had back when I had changed into a ferret during our Heroics Class. I had no control, but the surprised look on Bakugou's face was worth it when I changed into a _huge_ black bear. I swung a paw, knocking him aside, and he quickly stood in anger.

"You said you only had three changes!"

"Surprise?"

He growled as we fought, but I was wearing down _fast._ The large body of a bear wasn't as quick as Bakugou's hits. The burns from his last big attack tugged painfully and I was growing exhausted. Finally, I stumbled and was hit hard across the face. Stars filled my vision and before Bakugou could throw another, I fell to the ground.

"Hotaru is unable to continue. Bakugou moves on to the second round."

* * *

I woke up wearily, staring up at the white ceiling of the infirmary for a moment before glancing down. _Damn, still a bear._ _Haven't even been asleep for an hour._ I still cracked a small smile despite the bandages wrapped around my body. _But I figured it out. That hot-Head Bakugou. Can't believe he was able to read me so well._ There was a creak and my gaze shifted to the slim All Might as he walked in. I hadn't noticed the other bandaged occupant beside me.

"You had a good fight, Hotaru," he complimented, and I scoffed.

"Only once Bakugou pulled my head out my ass."

He gave me a look. "We really need to do something about that foul mouth of yours."

I raised a brow. "I'm PG-13 in comparison to Bakugou. I'll say what I want."

Or so I said, but I let out a yelp of pain when Recovery Girl hit me with her cane.

"You, missy, need to be more focused on proper healing and preservation of your life," she scolded me. "As it is, with your current health, I'll have to do multiple healing rounds again. There _will_ be scaring."

"Stupid Bakugou wouldn't let up," I grumbled.

"You can't place all the blame on him when you were egging him on."

"How—"

She pointed out a small TV on her desk making me shrink away in embarrassment. "I was watching. And you."

Midoriya flinched as she turned her eyes towards All Might.

"His right arm's shattered. This won't be easy to set back to normal. First, I'll have to remove the bone splinters from his joints, healing comes after. This boy admires you so much, he's willing to destroy himself. _You_ lit that fire. You moved him to this; I don't like it. Not one bit. You're overdoing it. You and this boy. So, you'd better not praise him for it," she snapped at All Might, then glaring at me. "Goes for you as well, Hotaru."

"Yes, ma'am," I grumbled just as the door burst open.

"Deku! Hotaru!"

"Midoriya! Hotaru!"

Iida, Asui, Uraraka, and Mineta hurried into the room, spreading out between our two beds.

"Guys… but… the next match…" Midoriya questioned and Iida explained.

"The arena was mostly destroyed, so there's a break while it's being repaired."

"We came over cos we were worried," Uraraka murmured as Mineta quaked.

"That was scary as hell, Midoriya. No pro's gonna want to hire you."

Asui slapped him with her tongue. "Can't say I like your rubbing-salt-in-the-wound style."

"You know I'm right though."

Recovery Girl rushed at them, trying to herd them back out the door. "Pipe down! It's fine to worry, but he's about to have surgery!"

"Surgery!"

"Oi, can I go?" I asked, and she huffed.

"Fine but take it easy and come back for another healing session after this mess. Your rib will still be tender as well. You're lucky it didn't splinter or puncture a lung when it broke."

I grunted, getting up out of the bed and helping herd the others out—giving one last look at Midoriya.

"You did good, moron. Don't take things too hard."

"But—"

I grunted, sounding more like a growl in the form of a bear. "Just learn from it, Midoriya. Work to not end up here again, okay? You do that and… and maybe I'll train with you or something. All right?"

"Really?"

I was desperately hoping that the black fur covered the heat in my cheeks. "I said so, didn't I? Don't make me repeat it."

He grinned and my jaw went tight as I ducked out the door with the others. _D-Damn his stupid grin. Why's he gotta look at me like that? _Unbeknownst to me, Uraraka had caught the look on my face, and she didn't look pleased.

* * *

Midoriya stumbled out the hallway to go watch whatever fight was currently going on while he'd been getting healed by Recovery Girl. He couldn't help but smile though, remembering what had happened with Hotaru. _Her fight with Kacchan was amazing! I think she would have had more of a chance to win if she was invested from the start. Her Quirk is really useful in the surprise aspect._

"…_I was proven to be useful…"_

He frowned slightly, moving towards the railing. _She doesn't seem to think so, but maybe after that fight she had, something might have changed her mind. _He nearly chuckled when he remembered her embarrassment in the infirmary earlier but felt his chest warm at the thought of her advice.

"_You did good, moron…"_

"_Just learn from it, Midoriya."_

He looked down at his right arm that was casted up, touching it lightly. _She's right, though. I need to be more careful. Maybe training with someone will help._ There was shouting down below, and he looked to see who was fighting this time.

"It's Kirishima and Kacchan. That means I missed Iida vs Shiozaki and Ashido vs Tokoyami…" _Wish I could have seen those matches._

"Midoriya!"

He turned with a smile at seeing Iida and the lumbering black bear behind him—Hotaru, free of bandages.

"I'm glad to see your surgery was a success. We just dropped by the infirmary for Hotaru to get looked at again."

Hotaru grumbled. "It only bugged me a little, but he insisted."

Midoriya smiled. _She really suits the part of being a grumpy bear._ He felt eyes on him and mentally flinched at seeing Hotaru's narrow-eyed glance. _I-It's like she knew what I was thinking._

"But how'd you win against Shiozaki's thorns anyway?" He asked, trying to distract himself from her burning gaze.

"Well, I knew my mobility wouldn't count for much," Iida explained. "So, I threw her from the ring with my reciproburst as soon as the match began. Hotaru tipped me off on that."

Hotaru grunted. "It only makes sense. Takes time for her to grow her thorns into the arena, so move before she gets the chance. She's not quick enough to stop him."

Iida bobbed his head in agreement. "She's been giving everyone tips. Anyway, you can view the matches you missed on video later. So now, I'm in the final four." He paused, growing more serious. "Your match against Todoroki was quite informative for me."

"Right… Do you know if your brother, Ingenium, has been watching you this whole time, Iida?"

"He called me earlier."

"Oh, okay."

"But he was busy with work," Iida explained. "I'm actually glad though. Even after coming this far, I still can't say I'm number one yet."

"Iida."

"Hm?" Iida looked at Hotaru, frowning slightly at her serious expression.

"Can I have his number? Your brothers. I've got a quick question for him."

"S-Sure! So long as you don't interfere in his duty as a hero! Here."

Hotaru took it and had Iida put it into her phone—her large claws making it near impossible—before she stepped into the hall. Midoriya frowned, curious as to what that was all about, but quickly forgot when the fight down below came to a dramatic halt; Bakugou winning.

"Here I go," Iida said, turning to leave and nearly bumping into Hotaru.

"Be careful letting him get close," she tipped him off and he gave a thumbs-up before heading down for his match against Todoroki.

Hotaru heaved a sigh, sprawling her arms over the railing as Midoriya gave her a concerned look.

"Is… everything okay, Hotaru?"

Her gaze shifted to him briefly and back down to the arena as Todoroki and Iida stepped out to face each other.

"Words to others are always important, but only if they choose to listen."

Midoriya blinked, a bit confused as to why she was saying something so profound with such a tired expression on her face. "Hotaru?"

"Let's just hope he listens," she murmured under her breath as she straightened and made to join the others.

_He? Who? Iida? _Midoriya questioned, following after her as Iida lost his match to Todoroki's ice freezing the pipes on his legs. Despite Hotaru's warning, Iida had gotten too close.

* * *

I scratched my cheek with a claw, watching the match between Bakugou and Tokoyami. _While I'm rooting for Tokoyami, this really is a terrible matchup, even with my advice for him to be careful relying on Dark Shadow. Bakugou's not an idiot and Dark Shadow is very emotional. It's easy to see how light bothers it. Bakugou will figure it out no matter what. Tokoyami's best bet is distance fighting, tricks, maybe even close combat without using Dark Shadow. Don't know how much training he's done in that aspect._

I frowned minutely. _Don't know if he'll listen to what I said either. Iida didn't… His brother…_ I swallowed thickly. _I hope what I told him helped. From what I remember, Iida was devastated._ My gaze shifted to the two meeting in the arena. _And if he listened, then that should help. I'd rather Iida's revenge plot change than have someone become crippled like that._

"C'mon, Tokoyami!" Ashido shouted, pumping her fists excitedly. "Your attacks against us were crazy strong!"

Yayorozu brought a hand to her mouth. "Are we missing something?"

Uraraka explained before I could. "The light from those explosions is keeping him at bay. It's a bad matchup for him."

Midoriya was hopeful though. "He could still turn this around if Kacchan doesn't figure out his secret weakness."

"He will," I growled. _Though everything I say sounds like a growl as a bear._

Ashido raised a brow. "Well, don't you sound optimistic."

I rubbed my head. "I'm rooting for Tokoyami as much as the rest of you, but Bakugou's no idiot. He's the freshman representative for a reason. Any negative reaction to his blast will give Tokoyami's weakness away. If he hasn't figured it out already, he will. It's up to Tokoyami to have another plan once he figures it out."

Bakugou charged in and Tokoyami dodged his punch, which surprised me slightly.

"He's changed tactics…" I muttered, eyeing the battle and watching as Dark Shadow disappeared. _Is he listening to my advice?_

Bakugou rushed in again from behind and Tokoyami didn't move other than a glance over his shoulder.

"You're mine, bird-brain!"

"Not quite."

Tokoyami ducked under his fist and kicked upward, hitting Bakugou in the gut as Tokoyami grinned.

"Grab him, Dark Shadow!"

Dark Shadow burst out and grabbed Bakugou's leg, throwing him toward the outer ring before another fiery blast could be used against them. Bakugou wasn't out just yet, using his blasts to right himself and prevent him from stepping out of bounds.

"you figured out I knew about your weakness, didn't you?"

Tokoyami smirked. "Hotaru tipped me off on how smart you were. Mentioned having a backup plan for when you figured it out and not to underestimate you when you did."

Bakugou's angry scowl picked me out from the crowd and I gave him an awkward wave.

"I'll kill you, you damn mutt!"

"Course he will," I murmured, earning chuckles from the group around me as the two resumed.

Tokoyami still lost, but the match ended up going on longer than it would have, and I got some pats on the back for helping him out. _It was up to him if he listened though._ I eyed Iida as he stepped out to take a phone call. _Let's hope Iida's brother did the same._

* * *

"Brother!" Iida shouted, bursting into the hospital room as his mother tried to calm him down.

"Tenya, keep it down. The anesthesia just wore off. He opened his eyes, but he's still out of it."

Iida just gaped at his brother as a nurse spoke up.

"He's doing good. If the surgery had complications, we'd be a little more concerned."

"Tenya, mother," Tensei muttered, cracking a small grimace of a smile. "My amazing little brother. I know you look up to me so… I'm sorry, Tenya. Your big brother… I lost."

"You really lucked out though, didn't you?" The nurse commented as Tensei nodded with a curious frown, sitting up as much as the bed would let him.

"Yeah. It was strange. Just before encountered the villain, I got a phone call."

"W-What?" Iida questioned and Tensei explained.

"Some anonymous tipster. Don't know how they got my personal number, but I'm glad they did, or it'd be a lot worse than a broken leg." Tensei patted the cast on his right leg. "Whoever it was had been insistent about me calling for backup. Said something about a hero-killer being seen in the area I was in. They were a bit pushy about it, but I figured it wouldn't be much harm and called my team in. They got there in record time with the police too. Other pro heroes popped up partway through the fight and the villain ran off. That phone call might have saved my life. I just wish I knew who it was."

Iida had figured it out though. Only a few people had his brother's contact information. Their family, pro heroes and Tensei's friends. _And if he didn't recognize them, there's only one person left… How did she know he was in trouble?_ His hand clenched at his side. _I need to talk to Hotaru._


	7. Chapter 7

Two days had passed since the Sport's Festival and I entered the classroom full of cheerful, chattering students with a small groan. _I've got a nasty headache. Do they need to be so loud? _Thankfully, Aizawa walked in a moment later and everyone went quiet. A small glance over at Iida had me relived. _He looks as determined as ever. There was a snippet in the news about his brother's attack, but word was he's healing up fine in the hospital after an anonymous tip helped him out of a tight spot. He'll be up and walking in less than a month. _I let out a soft sigh of relief, scratching idly at the pink burn scar on the back of my left shoulder. _I'm glad one of my tips proved useful. _

"Today, we've got Hero Informatics class and a special one at that. You'll be coming up with your hero aliases."

Any upset faces turned victorious as the class cheered loudly. I simply groaned and pulled the hood of my jacket up and over my ears. Aizawa silenced them again with a glare so he could continue explaining.

"But first, concerning the pro draft picks I mentioned the other day. It's based on who the pros think will be ready to join the hero workforce after another two or three years of experience. So, you could say that it's a way for them to show interest in your futures. But there's ample time for their interest to wane before you graduate, and any and all offers can be arbitrarily revoked. It happens quite often."

"Stupid adults and their whims," Mineta huffed, slamming a fist on his desk.

_I doubt it's based on wishy-washy feelings, _I mused as Toru spoke up her feelings about things.

"So, if we're picked now, that just means there'll be higher hurdles in the years to come!"

"Yes. Now, here're the complete draft pick numbers." Aizawa gestured to the hologram on the chalkboard. "There's typically more of a spread, but our top two stops most of the spotlight."

_Not surprising, _I thought, looking over the numbers. _Todoroki: 4,123. Bakugou: 3,456. Tokoyami: 360. Iida: 301. Hotaru: 257. Kaminari—_I stopped, backtracking and unable to help my mouth dropping open in shock.

"Y-You're kidding. 257?" I breathed out as Tokoyami placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You shouldn't be so shocked. You did well in the finals and went out of your way to help others while still achieving a high placement. You did good."

"A-Apparently," I mumbled, stunned.

"With that settled," Aizawa went on, "whether you were picked or not, you will all have a chance to work alongside the pros. It's true that you all have already experienced more than most but seeing the pros in action and taking part yourself will still be worthwhile training."

"That's where our hero names come in!"

"This is getting fun!"

Aizawa sighed the same time I did. "They're only tentative, but you still want to pick something appropriate—"

"Or else you'll know true hell!"

I groaned again, tugging down on my hood. "Aren't I already in hell?"

Kirishima chuckled from beside me, slapping my shoulder and making me scowl. "Come on, it's not that bad. You should be thrilled!"

"I have a headache, you dolt, and Midnight just walked in the room. She's as bad as Present Mic!"

"Heh, whoops."

"The name you pick now, may be what the world ends up calling you. That's happened to plenty of pros out there," Midnight explained.

"Yes, true enough," Aizawa grumbled. "And Midnight here will be assessing the sensibility of the names you pick. What future do you see for yourself? The name you choose will bring you closer to cementing a certain image, because names are capable of reflecting one's true character, like with All Might."

Aizawa took his leave and some whiteboards, markers, and erasers were passed around. After fifteen minutes, people began to go up and share what they came up with. I spent the whole time drumming my marker on my desk in annoyance. _A hero name? God, this is the worst. I've gotta come up with something that describes me, my power, and isn't already being used? This is too much thinking right now. _I rubbed my face. _Dammit. My head is killing me. _

"This went smoother than expected!" Midnight declared, looking around. "All that's left is Bakugou's revision, Iida, Midoriya, and Hotaru."

Iida went up, choosing just his name for now, claiming he would either inherit his brother's moniker or come up with something similar at a later time. Following him, Midoriya went up, choosing "Deku."

"Hotaru, your turn."

I sighed heavily and stood, hoping what I'd come up with was good enough. I turned my whiteboard around to show the class. "Ta-da," I said dully.

_Shape-changing hero: Animagus._

Midnight clapped cheerfully. "I like it! A combination of animals and magic! Very clever."

I raised a brow but shrugged, moving to take my seat. _It was the name that was a problem. Didn't want it to be too similar to Koda's but wanted to get the point across. _Once Bakugou adjudged his name—poorly—class was finished and Aizawa returned to finish his discussion on our internships. _I still can't believe how many I got. I'll need to look some of the people up and maybe ask the teachers about some of them. _

"Your internships start in a week. For this all-important decision, I'll be handing out personal lists to those who were drafted. You may choose from among those who scouted you," Aizawa explained, then informing those who hadn't gotten drafted. "Submit your choices by this coming weekend."

_Two days. I'll ask Midoriya too since he's so hero-driven. _I glanced over at him, but he was muttering away to himself at a rapid pace. _Never mind. Best not. _I looked at my own stack of papers and scowled. _It's too many. It'll take ages to research all these. _Scratching my head, I pulled out a pen and highlighter. _Make it easy. Highlight those I know. _

I went through the list, being surprised to see one particular agency. _Endeavor? Oh, _hell_ no. You wanted to end me. I'm not going to actually let you. _I crossed off his agency immediately along with a few others. _No Mount Lady. No Jeanist. No, no, no. Do they even think about my Quirk or are they just aiming to get those that ranked high up? _I scoffed, glancing at the small-time agencies and debating on crossing them off at the start. _They might have use with my Quirk but what help could they give me if I could potentially get more experience from bigger agencies?_

More were crossed off and I tossed those papers away, looking at my options. _Hawks, Selkie, Sir Nighteye and Gang Orca. _I drummed my pen on my desk. _Hawks is a number 3 hero and childish but very dedicated. Selkie does search and rescue and I think Asui joins him. Sir Nighteye—didn't know he was watching or cared—is ridiculously clever and used to be the brains behind All Might but… doesn't he die? And Gang Orca is in infiltration and strict but good with lessons… Damn. I think I know my first pick. _

I groaned, writing the top three pics on my sheet, knowing I would regret it later. Aizawa seemed to agree, eyeing me when I handed it in.

"Already? Are you sure?"

"No. I'm already regretting it but no point in avoiding pro hero guidance. Not like I can just pretend I don't care anymore," I grumbled, and he looked at my choices, cracking a smirk.

"It's a good choice, though I think you're right. You'll regret it. He's not easy to get along with."

"Neither am I, so maybe that will account for something."

"Hm. Good luck then, brat."

"Yeah, I'll need it," I muttered, heading back to my desk to grab my things.

"Ah, Hotaru!" Iida called out, hands gesturing wildly at the door. "Might I speak with you privately for a moment?"

I blinked but nodded. "Sure."

We stepped out of the classroom and around the corner before he stopped. _What's this about?_

"So, uh… heard your brother was in some villain attack. Is he all right?"

"He has a broken leg but should be on the way to full recovery in a few weeks," Iida replied with far less enthusiasm than usual. "He said he got an anonymous tip."

"Oh, that's lucky. Glad he's all right." _I don't like this. _

"When I gave you his number, you said you had a question for him. What was it?"

_Shit. Is he onto me? Lie! _"Hm? Oh, I was just wondering what he could tell me to encourage you on your fight." _That was terrible! You didn't even encourage him. _"We got disconnected before he could tell me though."

He still wasn't facing me and I felt more on edge than ever. "You see, the only people who have his personal number are limited. The fact that he got an anonymous tip on this line is nearly impossible unless it was someone he knew, but he didn't recognize them. _You_ are the only one who had that number that he doesn't know."

_Shit. I didn't expect… I thought Midoriya would've been the one to figure it out. I wasn't careful enough. Dammit, this ain't good. _"Iida, look. I—"

Iida whipped around and bowed a perfect ninety degrees. "Thank you, Hotaru. Thank you for saving my brother."

I winced, trying to get him to stop. "I-Iida, really. I just… You dint have to do this. I-I didn't really do anything."

"That's not true," he said sharply, and my heart sank as I spotted his quivering fists and the tears dripping onto the floor. "My brother is _alive_ because of you. He faced a hero killer and whatever you told him kept him safe, and I owe you everything for that."

I pursued my lips, seeing that I had no other way of convincing him otherwise. _There's only one thing I can do. _"Then… can you promise me something?"

"Anything!"

I reached out and straightened him from his bow, realizing something that hadn't quite settled in until now. I could see it in his ready eyes. Fear. This was just a desperate, scared kid who adored his brother to pieces, and he almost lost that. _I _had saved him from experiencing that and he was reminding me just how old I truly was compared to him and the others. He was reminding me how _human _they were and that I had just saved a man's whole reason for existing. And I had never felt more alone in this world until now.

"Promise me that you won't tell anyone what I did," I asked him. "No one can know that I knew something before it happened."

His brows furrowed. "But that kind of Quirk—"

"It's not—" I cut myself off before I could say something I'd regret. "Just promise me."

Slowly, he nodded.

"And promise me that you won't go after the Hero Killer. Don't try to get revenge."

"But he—"

"Didn't kill your brother," I silenced him. "And if you run out there to try and get revenge for something he didn't even do, then what does that make you?"

He was silent but didn't look appeased, so I continued.

"I saved your brother, Iida, but if you run out there and get killed, then what I did would have been for nothing because he will _die _for you. So, don't do something so villainous as revenge. Think of how your brother would feel if he found out you did. Think of his expression if he has to attend _your_ funeral."

Iida's lips pursed but more tears gathered. "But he would've died. That man is still out there killing heroes!"

"And now more people are aware and chasing him," I sighed, pulling a hand through my hair and releasing his shoulders. "Dammit, Iida. If I could save your brother because of some future foreknowledge bullshit, don't you think you should believe me when I say the Hero Killer will be dealt with?"

Slowly, he nodded. "Y-Yes. Yes. You're right."

"Good. Now, you better get your internship with your brother," I teased, nudging him as we started to head back to the classroom. "I'm sure he'd be over the moon to teach you what it's like to be a pro like him."

Iida nodded, pumping a fist in the air, already looking more like his cheerful self. "Yes, of course! I plan on learning a lot from my brother! Especially since our Quirks are so alike! I'm sure he will have many helpful tips!"

"There ya go! Have at 'em," I cracked a grin and waved as he hurried back to his seat.

My smile fell quite quickly though as I looked around the room at everyone cheerfully talking about their internships. _They're just kids, _my mind supplied again, adding to the hollow feeling in my chest as I turned to head home. _Dammit, why'd he have to remind me how much I don't belong here? _I closed my eyes and scowled as I messed up my hair.

"Hotaru?"

I paused, turning around to see Midoriya eyeing me.

"If… If it ever gets to be too much and you need to talk… just say something. We're your friends."

The line sounded familiar, but it made a lump catch in my throat. _I don't deserve this. I don't even belong here. You would hate me for what I know. For what I ignore. People are going to die because of me doing nothing. You will hate me for that. Don't you see, Midoriya? I don't deserve your kindness. I'm just as bad as a villain. _

"Sure," I said quietly, crack a crooked smile. "Thanks, Midoriya."

* * *

I shuffled in front of the hero agency, drumming my fingers on the case holding my hero uniform. _Of all the places, why does his have to be on the edge of Hosu City?_ I pursed my lips, stepping through the doors and heading towards the secretary's desk. _I'm hoping what I said got through to Iida. If not, at least I'll be nearby._ I was sent upstairs, doing my best not to eye the black-leotard-wearing heroes that seemed to flood the building. _I couldn't sleep last night either and skipped breakfast too. My headache is worse, even though I took medication for it and… I haven't really been paying attention to anything lately. Even when I bumped into the others, I felt like I was hardly there. What Iida said, that look in his eyes… I don't like how badly it's affecting me. I suddenly feel like I've hit a wall and all the others are standing on the other side laughing, having fun, living… while I'm just… standing in the dark._

I blinked, realizing that I was standing outside his office and _had_ been for a few minutes. _What am I even doing here? _I hastily shook the thought off and took a deep breath. _Don't think about it anymore. You're just stressing yourself out. Focus. Here and now. Work through the present. Worry about the future later._ I reached up to knock, but before my knuckles hit the wood, the door was opened from the inside to reveal who I'd chosen to intern with. Red eyes stared down at me coldly and I gazed up at the black and white Orca curiously. _I wonder if he always wears the same tie or if he has a collection to choose from… Oh! And do these "monster" type Quirk users have to get all their clothes tailored to fit? They're huge, so one would think—_

"How long do you plan on standing there?" Orca grunted, making me blink.

_Don't be cheeky. Good first impression. Come on. You can do it._ "Can't exactly go in if you're blocking the door." _Or not. I really need to work on controlling my verbal filter._

He let out a short snort, surprising me and making me wonder if he was amused or offended at my lack of respect. Either way, he turned and retreated behind his office desk as I trailed after him—eyeing the organized office.

"Hotaru Mirai," he hummed, his voice having a sort of watery gurgle to it that I hadn't noticed. He tapped a long claw on the file in front of him. "Why did you choose my hero agency?"

_Odd that he wants to know, but whatever. _"Process of elimination. Felt I wouldn't get as much experience from smaller agencies narrowed down the bigger ones based on what information I knew about them and what I wanted from the internship."

"Why not Hawks?"

"Personality wouldn't mesh with mine," I shrugged, a little unnerved by Orca's gaze.

"Selkie?"

"Not a fan of extended periods off land. With the limits of my Quirk, I'd rather not get stuck as a fish unable to breathe air for long."

"Jeanist?"

"Don't care for his 'reformist' ideals."

His eyes narrowed. "Endeavor?"

I sighed, surprising him as I folded my arms and looked up at the ceiling. "Honestly? The man's a dick and we had a… disagreement at the Sport's Festival. Long story short, he was bullying his son. I stepped in, called him a whiny five-year-old, and he promised to ruin my hero career before I even started. I'm not pretty or stupid enough to intern under him just to spite him. The man can use his childish mind games on someone else."

_God, what am I doing? I basically told him I'm a disrespectful ass who picks fights with pro heroes and thinks I'm above everybody else. I may have chosen him, but he has to accept me as well. I just about blew it at this point._

"You… fought with Endeavor?"

"Yes."

"Hn."

_Was that a chuckle?_ He flipped a page in my file.

"You mentioned limits on your Quirk? Explain."

"Uh… right. Um, I can't _choose_ what animal I change into, exactly. I've been working on it. I usually think of the qualities I need and try to change into something with those. It's _maybe_ forty-six percent accurate now? I, uh… have only three chances to change before I'm stuck as that animal for an hour. I think the fourth change I did during the Sport's Festival was a fluke. My Quirk sometimes does its own thing?

"It will force a change if I try to do anything outside that animal's capabilities, changing me into something that can, even if it's useless." I rubbed the back of my neck. "During one of my Heroic's classes, I was forced to change from a gorilla after twisting out of the way of one of Bakugou's hits. It changed me into a ferret. More flexible, but a poor match-up to a well-aimed foot." I winced at the remembrance as he spoke up once more.

"Are your injuries consistent with the animal?"

"No. I was kicked into a wall as a ferret—something that would have potentially killed one. I was just hurt as though he was still human. Bruised and had the air knocked out of me."

He hummed, propping his chin on his hands and just watching me for a minute. Trying not to fidget and maintain eye contact was harder than it looked.

"Do you know why I picked you?"

"Uh, I got decently far in the matches, had a Quirk you were interested in and… you liked me?" I guessed, picking the options I figured would've counted for something.

He smirked, something that looked rather sinister with his sharp teeth. "You and Bakugou had an interesting talk in the last round."

I paled.

"_I don't have that! I don't have anything like that!"_

"I-I, um…" I didn't know what to say and Orca knew that.

"You don't have a stable goal that will lead you towards becoming a hero," he concluded. "And if you do, you haven't figured it out. Wanting to survive won't convince you to help others in need. It is a selfish reasoning that may account for your fighting back, but not for your selfless actions of helping others during the festival."

"I… I didn't do much. Everyone was giving tips on opponents," I muttered, losing my confident bravado from before.

"No one else helped anyone during the obstacle race except you."

I winced. _I thought no one saw that._ Orca let out a deep breath.

"You have potential but need a major reevaluation on your life. Bakugou tried beating it into you in the last round, but now it's _my_ turn."

_God, what did I just sign myself up for?_

* * *

Training with Gang Orca was as expected; hard. The pro hero was very blunt about my short-comings and I often felt that the man was silently laughing at my efforts. His underlings were on his side, for the most part, but offered me comfort just by saying ho much their great leader was trying to help me by pushing me to my limits. That being said, it was only the end of the first day and I was already dying.

"Have you figured it out yet?" Orca grumbled, his shadow blocking the sun from my eyes as I panted heavily, lying in the dirt.

I glared at him half-heartedly. "Y-You can't honestly expect me to have figured out the meaning to my life in one day, can you?"

He chuckled shortly. "No, though watching you struggle is amusing."

_Bastard. I knew it. He's a damn sadist. Running me to physical exhaustion just to stand over me and mock me. _I pushed myself up with a cringe and dusting my clothes off with a muttered grumble of complaint.

"Stupid ass fish-man with his creepy grin and stupid tie."

"Are you giving up?" orca questioned with a raised brow and I felt my eyes twitch in annoyance.

"Like hell, I am," I snipped shortly—the hunger gnawing at my gut and thirst adding to my irritability. _Along with this damn headache._ "I came here to learn something, and if that something is figuring out what I want to do and why I want to do it, then I'll damn well do it."

"Why? To keep your place at U.A.?" He questioned, as I worked on stretching out my aching muscles once more.

"It's always the 'why' with you, isn't it?" I huffed, wincing as I stretched my legs. "Yes, I came about my place at U.A. but not for the food or shelter or whatever other bull everyone assumes is important to someone who was homeless. I owe the people who cared enough about me to try and get me into U.A."

Orca grumbled. "You can't live your life trying to be something for others."

"I _know_ that," I complained, giving him a dirty look. "That's why I'm trying to find out something more. I'm not like Midoriya and them I know what the world's like, how cruel it can be. And I know that I won't last with some half-assed dream of wanting to be a hero."

"Why did you save that student during the Sport's Festival?"

I clenched my eyes shut, rubbing my temples with one hand. "Because he was there, and I could."

"That's not a reason."

"Because I didn't want him to get hurt."

"Why?"

Some final bit of my patience snapped as I shouted at him. "Because I don't want them to end up like me, okay!"

He cracked a devilish smirk. "Now, we're getting somewhere."

I turned away, frustrated that I'd given away something like that, ears red in embarrassment.

"Five more laps, then we'll work on your Quirk. _Run._"

I growled in annoyance but got my tired legs running again, more eager to get some work done on my Quirk's limits—and desperately trying to ignore how light I felt after my confession.

* * *

Day three had finally come and Orca had decided I was ready enough to go on patrol with him and the gang. Glad I had gotten a little praise from him after only three days, I was thrilled to do something other than running myself into exhaustion and Orca's bogus therapy sessions. _Though,_ _I think I've nearly got it. _The only problem was the morning of day three I had woken up sick as a dog.

My head throbbed with every step as I followed after the gang and Orca surveyed the area of Hosu we were in. My throat was dry, forcing me to cough often and my skin felt chilled and on fire at the same time. I was pretty sure Orca knew, judging by the way he kept glancing at me out of the corner of his eye and how he stopped the gang so often under the claim of observing the surroundings. _He's just giving me a chance to catch up, is all. _He sent the others off to split up, waiting for me to move to his side before speaking.

"Try to stay close. We don't need a sick student wandering off when we're in an area with Hero Killer sightings."

"Figures you'd know," I grumbled.

"You're hiding it well, though you should have stayed back if you were ill."

"And miss my first chance back outside?" I scoffed. "No thanks."

His gaze narrowed. "An ill hero—apprentice or not—is more of a hindrance than help."

I frowned. "I'm staying out of the way and am another pair of eyes. We end up dealing with a villain, I'll do what you want. Until then, let me enjoy it, won't ya?"

He rolled his eyes but relented. "Recovery Girl mentioned your recklessness."

"Nice of her," I huffed, a little annoyed. _Probably put "suicidal" or something equally as stupid. Not my fault I died once and am a little resynthesized to it._

A set of screeching tired drew our gaze down the street and Orca growled.

"Robbery in progress," he said into his comm. "One of you return to my position to take Hotaru back to base."

"What!" I exclaimed but zipped my lips at his glare.

"I need to deal with this, and you are too ill to be of help right now. You said you'd do as I asked, so do it."

I bit my tongue to keep from being snarky as someone hurried over. The man wasn't from Orca's gang but had overheard and was willing to take me back as Orca dealt with the robbers. The hero, Native, had known he was outnumbered, but still offered his help.

"Better a pro goes with her back with the Hero Killer on the loose. Use your underlings to help with the robbery. I'll meet you there once I'm done."

"I appreciate it, Native. Hotaru, behave and go back to rest properly. I expect you to be ready for another full day of training tomorrow."

"Yes, sir," I grumbled, but obediently trailed after Native—a tingle in the back of my mind saying he was familiar. _But I can't think properly with this damn headache. My mind's muddled._

A chill suddenly went down my spine and I froze, coming to a quick halt and turning my gaze to the alleyway on my left. _T-The hell… That's some killing intent. I don't like this._

"Hotaru?" Native called out, doubling back. "We should keep moving. Is something wrong? You've gone pale."

Something shifted in the shadows and my eyes went wide as I lurched toward Native, suddenly remembering why he was familiar.

"Run!"

I slammed into him, knocking him down as a streak of red and silver flew over us. Cold eyes glared at me as the Hero Killer: Stain turned and slammed a heavy kick into my side, throwing Native and I into the alley. I cringed but was silently grateful I knew where exactly we were and had everyone's phone numbers in my contacts. As Stain stalked over, sword catching a flash of light making him look more menacing, I hastily typed a group text as Native stood to cover me.

"Hotaru, I need you to go. Run and get more pros."

Stain seemed to agree with Native's logic. "This is no place for children."

I grit my teeth, pushing aside my annoyance for now as loud explosions began to go off in the distance. _Nomu. Won't be much longer. I can't leave Native though. He only lived because Iida got involved. I took that away. I'm the only one keeping him alive right now but I'm in no shape to fight. _I swallowed back a cough, ignoring Native as he continued to try and get me to leave. _No. I don't need to fight, just stall. I've sent the test early. It won't take them long and if I'm lucky, Iida isn't an idiot and comes with some pros._

Native turned toward me, furious. "I said go!"

I cursed though, grabbing the back of Native's costume and jerking him downward. "Don't look away from the enemy, you moron!"

Stain had taken that second to throw himself at Native and only just missed due to my interference.

"You're starting to get in the way, kid. Don't make me deal with you first," he growled, and I grit my teeth.

"Sucks, 'cause I'm not leaving."

"Hotaru—"

"No!" I snapped at Native, surprising him. "I've saved you _twice_ now. Sick or not, I'm helping and I'm not about to leave you on your own with him. _That's_ why his victims die because they're too damn thick-headed to call for help. Ingenium _survived_ because he did. And seeing as you're not about to run, I suggest we stall for time until help arrives."

"Shame. I'm not about to let that happen."

Stain seemed to get almost faster as Native and I struggled to avoid his attacks. _Can't get cut. Even a drop and I'm screwed. I'm lucky I'm blood type O, so it won't last long, but it would be long enough for Native to get killed and I can't let that happen. _I dodged his sword just barely as Native threw himself at him.

"No! Don't get close!" I shouted but it was too late.

Stain swung a kick, slamming his spiked boot into Native's shoulder. I spat out a curse, throwing a bag of garbage at Stain's head to distract him long enough to get to Native.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it," he said, but I knew better.

"Don't you get it? God, all you moron pros think that you're damn invincible, don't you?"

He sputtered, but I didn't leave him room to argue.

"You lot don't _think_ anymore. Don't look, don't analyze. Pay attention! He attacks in alleyways, limiting mobility and making things hard for long-distance fighting weapons. He _wants_ you to get close. His Quirk _requires_ it."

Native suddenly froze as Stain chuckled, tongue licking some blood on his fingers.

"You're smart, kid, I'll give you that."

"Blood," I muttered, trying to act as though I hadn't already known his Quirk. "You need blood to activate your Quirk." I looked to the frozen Native. "You use it to paralyze your victims. Pro heroes who just rush in wouldn't stand a chance. They don't care about small scratches, but in your case, one scratch is the end of it."

Stain smirked a maniacal grin. "Well, don't you have it all figured out. What now, kid?"

I winced, looking at Native briefly. _My Quirk isn't good for this. I-I don't know what animal would help. If I change to try and get Native safe, I'm vulnerable. If I change to fight him, I'd have to get close, also a no go. I need to buy time, but also not make him want to kill me. Agh! I don't know what to do! _I groaned, begrudgingly allowing that warm energy to fill me.

"Damn, I'm going to regret this."

Stain lifted his sword, prepared to counter any attack I'd throw, except that wasn't my plan. I changed and ran toward Native, leaning my neck down and scooping him up onto my back.

"Bye!" I called out, making a mad dash—_gallop_—toward the end of the alleyway.

A horse wasn't the best change, but it was surprising enough to stall Stain for a few seconds. And when I felt him getting close, I used my mouth to grab Native and throw him out toward the street; changing again to dodge Stain's sword.

"Y-You wouldn't hit a cute little squirrel, would you?" I shakily questioned, making his eye twitch.

"You've started to become really annoying, kid."

"Yeah, I get that a lot," I muttered, my whole body quivering despite my joking tone.

_Not good. This is change number two and it's not the greatest. Small, quick target, but useless in fighting back or helping Native. J-Just gotta last until help gets here. Oh, God. I'm insane. I-I'm fighting the Hero Killer._ I began ducking and dodging the Hero Killer's attacks, struggling to stay quick enough to avoid him. Only problem was, he was getting annoyed and changed tactics.

"Let's see just what kind of hero you are, kid," he growled, launching toward me.

I prepared to move again, except I realized the meaning of his words._ Native. Goddammit! He's going for him!_ I spun around, turning my back to the Hero Killer and changing for the third time. I muffled a cry of pain that threatened to escape me as Stain's blade sank deeply into my shoulder. Blood turned my white fur red as Stain cackled and Native stared in shock at the polar bear hovering over him.

"Hahaha! A hero! A true hero sacrificing themselves to help a fallen comrade!" He pulled the sword out as I growled in his direction. "You're interesting, kid. I think I'm starting to like you, but you're in the way. I've got a job to do."

His tongue licked the blood on his sword, making me go stiff. _Shit, shit, shit! Why is no one here yet! Dammit, I don't want to die!_ Stain raised his sword and I closed my eyes in preparation for pain, except none came. Instead, a streak of green slammed Stain aside and I released a breath I was holding as my body sank to the ground at Native's side.

"Y-You're late, Midoriya."

"Sorry, Hotaru. I was on a train. Can you move? Make for the main road and get some pros to come help us!"

"C-Can't. Stain's Quirk. He ingests blood and paralyzed Native and I. I-If the others got my message… pros should be here soon. A-As it is, you can't carry me like this."

Midoriya winced but knew I was right. "You've used up your changes?"

"I-I might get one more, b-but I've used three."

"W-Well, it's like All Might said. Giving help that's not asked for is what makes a true hero. I'm not going to leave you two."

"B-Be careful. He's got a sword, spikes on his outfit, a-and a dagger," I huffed out, blinking the haze from my eyes. "One cut is a-all it takes."

"Some friend shows up and says, 'I'm not going to leave you two.' A good line for sure," Stain said, eyeing Midoriya. "But it's my duty to kill these two, or at least the one. And if we're forced to fight, then naturally, the weaker of us will be culled. So, what now?"

Midoriya stiffened, but still managed a shaky smile. "D-Don't worry, Hotaru. I'll definitely save you."

Heat filled my cheeks. "M-Moron. Stay safe yourself."

Midoriya took off, using his speed to dodge Stain's sword and jumping up behind him. He slammed a fist into Stain, but I knew better. _He could have dodged that. He didn't, which means…_ I felt a paw twitch.

"Midoriya! Distance! He got you!"

Midoriya jumped back, checking his arm where he was cut just as Stain licked his dagger, sending Midoriya to the ground.

"You lack power," Stain mused, stepping toward us.

_Come on, body. Move!_

"But you did track my movements. You exploited my blind spot and planned to bring me down. That's how you moved. So many fools out there are nothing but talk. But you and your friend are worth keeping alive. Unlike these others."

"No! Don't!"

Stain lifted his sword to kill Native and a roar escaped me as I threw myself those last few steps, just as fire and ice sent Stain back.

"One after another," Stain complained. "So many interruptions today."

"Hotaru, learn to write more specific instructions," Todoroki muttered, putting his phone away. "I was almost too late."

I growled in annoyance, native in my arms and a safe distance away from Stain. "I gave you the street names and said alleyway. What more do you need?"

"But how are you moving, Hotaru?" Midoriya questioned as Native agreed.

"You were paralyzed after me."

"Limit to his Quirk, I guess," I grumbled, eyeing Stain. "Let me guess, blood type?"

Stain didn't reply, just frowned before throwing himself at us again. Todoroki sent him back once more and I grabbed Midoriya to get him safely behind our backup.

"It's just like the reports said, but you're not killing these guys today, Hero Killer," Todoroki declared as I lumbered up beside him.

"Careful. Don't let him ingest your blood. He's a close and long-range fighter. Once he licks your blood though, you'll be paralyzed," I informed him with a small cough.

"Explains all the blades. We're best off keeping our—" he was cut off as a knife was thrown, but I'd reached in time and caught the hilt with a growl.

"Pay attention."

Stain rushed over and Todoroki blocked his dagger as I used the knife I'd caught to deflect the sword above us. Stain huffed, jumping back and grabbing his sword as he did.

"You two are a good team. It's annoying."

"Good to know," I muttered. "We've never worked together. Hell, I only have his number because I snuck a glance at Aizawa's records."

"You did _what!_"

I rolled my eyes at Midoriya's shout. "I get bored living there by myself. You should be glad I did, or we'd have less reinforcements."

Todoroki threw up a large blast of ice before us and I growled in annoyance.

"Why'd you do that? You've limited our view."

The ice was destroyed as Stain hummed.

"She's right. Obstructing your own vision when up against an opponent faster than yourself… a poor strategy indeed."

Todoroki's left arm flared, but I saw the blades before he did and stepped in front of him with a growl of annoyance as they sank into my side.

"Hotaru!"

I glared at Todoroki. "I told you to pay attention!"

He looked shocked that I was shouting, but I was getting a little annoyed. My head ached and body throbbed. My vision kept shifting and by now, I knew. I was useless as a fighter in my condition. I needed to be a shield for those capable of fighting.

Midoriya jumped up then, putting distance between us and Stain before landing beside us.

"We need to get out of here," I muttered. "We're outclassed."

"He's quick enough to react to both my fire and ice," Todoroki added. "So, I'm not seeing an opening. Until the pros get here, our best hope is to keep him at bay and keep dodging."

"Hotaru, you've got too much exposed blood," Midoriya commented. "I'll draw his attention while Todoroki, you provide rear support. Hotaru, just keep Native out of the way and watch our blind spots."

"On it," I mumbled, leaving the blades where they were for now. _Rather deal with the pain than have Stain get them and paralyze me again._

The fight began anew and everyone seemed to blur as Stain and Midoriya both brought things up a notch. When Midoriya was knocked aside and Stain rushed forward, I sensed what had changed. _He's figured us out. We're screwed!_

"Ice and fire," Stain said, dodging both and closing the distance between him and Todoroki. "Hasn't anyone ever told you? Relying too heavily on your Quirk makes you sloppy."

Just as his sword was about to slice into Todoroki, a paw grabbed him and threw him back.

"That's what friends are for!" I roared, jaw clamping onto Stain's shoulder as I shoved Todoroki backward and white-hot pain slashed through my chest.

Something in me seemed to snap then and my jaw tightened until a blade slashed across my nose. A thunderous roar escaped me and then, all bets were off.

* * *

Something had changed. Not just with Stain, but Todoroki's eyes were wide as Hotaru appeared to have snapped as well. He's tried calling to her, but she wasn't listening and the look in her eyes… They were cold. Not the usual blank, joking, older-than-they-should-be gaze she usually had. Now, she appeared almost _feral._ The polar bear seemed to have overtaken her. She wasn't in control of her Quirk anymore, but was that even possible?

She'd done damage too. Stain's shoulder was bleeding heavily, and his arm was limp, making the tip of his sword drag heavily on the ground. He looked almost _thrilled_ though. And a chill went through Todoroki._ Just what am I watching? T-They're insane!_ Midoriya didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he didn't care. He threw himself back into the fray with perfect timing and with a solid punch to his face and a heavy bear paw to his side, Stain was defeated.

"W-We need to get him tied up," Midoriya panted out, looking to Hotaru with tired eyes. "Hotaru, do you see—H-Hotaru?"

A low growl escaped her as her unfocused eyes shifted to him with teeth bared in a snarl. Todoroki grabbed him before he could try and approach her.

"Wait. I… I don't think she's herself right now."

"But she…" Midoriya saw it then, the tired, injured beast standing before then and he swallowed thickly. "W-What do we do?"

"Get Stain tied up and onto the main road. Remove his weapons too. Keep your distance from her for now. We need the pros. I… I don't know what's wrong."

They managed to find a rope and tied Stain up as the paralysis on Native wore off and he rushed to get Orca as more pros found them. Iida and Ingenium had requested backup—the latter two arriving themselves and calling ambulances.

"And Hotaru is she—"

"Don't!" Todoroki stopped him, surprising Iida and his brother. "Something's wrong. She's not herself and… I-I think her Quirk took over. If that's possible."

"What? But that—"

"Get down!" Grand Torino suddenly shouted and a Nomu swooped down, grabbing Midoriya.

Surprisingly enough, the bird didn't get far as a blur of white and red rushed forward. Stain had broken free of his bonds and Hotaru had grabbed onto the Nomu's neck with her jaws just as Stain jabbed his blade into it.

"Both this sham-filled society and the criminals who wield their power in the name of petty mischief are targets of my purge," Stain growled as the Nomu was brought down. "All for the sake of a better society."

Endeavor showed up then, flaming with rage upon spotting the Hero Killer, but Grand Torino stopped him in concern for the two students within range of the villain.

"You fake," Stain hissed. "If I don't fix it… If someone isn't stained with blood… If I don't reclaim my hero status… Come! Just try me, you fakes! The only one allowed to kill me is All Might, a true hero!"

The sheer amount of killing intent had frozen everyone until Stain was revealed to have passed out. A growl behind him though reminded everyone of their other problem and the pros fidgeted.

"Shouldn't we do something?"

"But what? It's just a kid, right? And restraining her could just make it worse."

"Move," someone grumbled, and the group turned to see Gang Orca, stepping out of his way.

"That's…"

Midoriya gaped. "Is he… H-Hotaru interned with Gang Orca?"

Orca stepped forward and Hotaru growled menacingly, but he didn't stop until he was right in front of her—matching her height even as a polar bear. Shocking everyone, Orca slammed a heavy fist down on top of Hotaru's head.

"Get a hold of yourself."

There was a sniff as Hotaru lifted her head and rubbed at where she'd been hit.

"W-Why'd you hit me? Aren't I in enough pain as it is?" She grumbled, letting out a round of sneezes and groaning as she wrapped a hand around her injured side.

"You lost control for a second," Orca grumbled, scolding her like a puppy who'd soiled the carpet and not the giant polar bear that she was. "What have I told you about that temper? You need to keep your emotions in check, or you can be a danger to everyone around you. Do you understand, or do we need another reminder?"

Hotaru hastily shook her head as Orca huffed, the others staring in stunned shock as sweatdrops slid down their heads.

"Apologize."

Hotaru bowed to everyone with a muttered apology but Midoriya gathered the courage to step forward.

"Y-You don't need to apologize, Hotaru! You saved me from that Nomu a-and you called for help. You even continued to help us with the Hero Killer despite your injuries!"

Hotaru scratched her cheek with a claw, unable to look Midoriya in the eye. "I-I didn't do _that_ much."

Orca smacked her side, making her double-over in pain. "Take credit where it's due, Hotaru. Now, let's get you to the hospital before you pass out. I'm not carrying you like that."

Hotaru grumbled but didn't refuse as the ambulance showed up and took her and Orca away. Midoriya and the others involved got checked in too for minor injuries but were forced to stay overnight. The next morning though, they began to realize just how lucky they were.

"Looking back now, what we did was incredible," Midoriya murmured as Todoroki agreed.

"Yeah."

"And after that last-ditch effort, I'd say it's a miracle we're still alive. He could have killed us easily."

"Yeah, he definitely _let_ us live. But Hotaru…" Todoroki looked over at the sleeping student who was running a fever and hadn't woken up since passing out in the ambulance. "I came to save her but ended up getting saved _by_ her. She just kept jumping in the way. Do you think… Does she even care about her life?"

Midoriya gave her a sad look as well. "I… really don't know. I don't actually know much of anything about her, really."

"That's because you don't need to know," Hotaru grumbled, sitting up carefully and coughing."

"H-Hotaru!"

Their conversation wasn't allowed to continue though, as the door slid open and three figures stepped through.

"Gran Torino!"

"Orca…" Hotaru muttered, shying away from his red gaze as Gran Torino introduced the third person—a dog-faced man in a business suit.

"This is Mr. Kenji Tsuragamae, Hosu's Chief of Police."

"So, you're the U.A. students who put a stop to the Hero Killer, woof," he hummed. "As for the Hero Killer, he's currently in treatment for his burns, broken bones, and numerous other serious injuries, woof."

Hotaru winced as the Chief went on to explain the laws put in place to punish people who use their powers to hurt others without permission.

"You three as well as your pro hero mentors Orca, Endeavor, and Gran Torino. The six of you must be dealt with strictly and impartially."

"Hold on a minute—" Todoroki started to argue until Hotaru cut him off.

"It's my fault."

All eyes turned to her, Midoriya's in shock.

"Hotaru?"

She dragged a hand down her face tiredly, still not feeling one-hundred percent. "I called them over, sent out a mass text to all those classmates nearby. I was sick. Native couldn't have gotten me out of there alive and I knew that. It was my fault they were dragged into the fight. So, leave them out of this."

The Chief just tipped his head slightly, but Todoroki wouldn't take that lying down.

"Should we let people die, all in the name of _your_ law? Everything turned out fine, so just forget about the law this time! Isn't it a hero's _job_ to save people?"

"Todoroki!" Hotaru snapped, shocking him into silence. "One exception to a law means there's no _point_ to the law. No one gets punished, then others can claim the excuse and get away with worse crimes. God, _think_ a little, would ya? I have a right headache and can't do the thinking for everyone. We should have tried harder to get out of there _without_ fighting."

"But that was im—"

"Clearly, one of you as much to learn," the Chief interjected. "Some education you're getting, woof, from Endeavor and U.A."

"You mutt—"

"Wait!" Gran Torino stopped him. "Just listen to what he's got to say."

The Chief rubbed his nose and explained. "All of that is what I'm obliged to tell you, as police. But the real question is whether or not to deal with this issue publicly, woof. If we let the story out, you'll all be lauded by the public, but you won't be able to avoid punishment. But if we keep all this nasty business to ourselves, the Hero Killer's burns will support the story that Endeavor was the key operative. He'll receive the accolades, woof.

"Fortunately, the number of eye-witnesses was small enough that we can hush up this whole matter before it causes problems, woof. But in that case, your decisive action and achievements will remain unknown to the general public." He threw out a thumbs-up, tongue hanging out. "What do you say? I'm an understanding man. So, when it comes to a promising group of young people, I'd rather not have to pursue charges over this admittedly massive indiscretion, woof!"

"You just don't want the public to roast the police department for prosecuting three kids," Hotaru grumbled under her breath, the Chief's eye twitching and Orca knocking her upside the head.

"Watch your mouth."

Hotaru huffed but glanced at the Chief. "Thanks, I guess."

Orca sighed, knowing that was the best he was going to get out of her, and the others bowed their thanks as well. The Chief was the last to do so.

"The world's an unfair place. You'll receive none of the commendation that you might have otherwise, but at least—as someone invested in keeping the peace—I can thank you."

The rest of the week had gone by decently well after hat. Hotaru was the only one forced to stay at the hospital for longer, but she still managed to return to her internship the last few days. She wasn't thrilled, but by the end of it all, she felt she'd really learned something.

"So?" Orca questioned, arms crossed as he leaned against his desk. "Have you figured it out yet? The reason why you want to be a hero?"

Hotaru scratched at the scar the Hero Killer had given her that stretched across her nose and under her left eye. "Not really."

Orca resisted the urge to throw his stapler at her head.

"I mean, there's definitely something new, you know?" Hotaru continued, looking at him seriously. "And I won't just stand by and watch people get hurt, hero or not."

_She's gotten better at expressing herself without thinking everything through, _Orca noted.

"But I suppose if you want a reason…" Hotaru cracked a grin. "I want to be a hero to keep people safe and change the way heroes fight villains."

Orca hadn't expected the last bit. "Change… the way we fight villains?"

Hotaru shrugged. "Pros are always running headfirst into dangerous situations with no thought to their own lives. That's why so many people were so easily caught by the Hero Killer. I think pros have just gotten a little over their heads with confidence and need to take a step back. Villains have families too, sometimes. It doesn't take much to use your power for something other than good when you're in a tight spot. I was proof of that when I was homeless. Heroes have stopped seeing villains as people, I think. They need to be reminded of that."

Orca was silent for a moment before pushing off the desk and heading over. Hotaru stiffened, unable to help but be cautious after the training they'd done, but Orca simply dropped a hand onto her head, ruffling her hair.

"I wish you luck then, Hotaru," he hummed, turning away and waving over his shoulder. "I hope to work with you again sometime. We could do with more heroes like you."

Hotaru cracked a grin, bowing and heading out. Orca had just taken a seat with a small grin of his own when the door cracked open and Hotaru poked her head in again.

"One thing… Do you purposely pick out a tie that looks like a big tongue, or do you have a secret closet of ties hidden somewhere?"

A stapler bounced off the door as she chuckled and ran off—Orca rubbing at his face. _One thing's for sure, it's going to be a hell of a lot more relaxing around here without that brat._


	8. Chapter 8

"Uh, summer vacation's close at hand. Of course, it would be completely irrational for all of you to take a whole month off," Aizawa announced, getting some students wound up.

_God, I nearly forgot. This trip is going to be hell._ I sighed heavily, sliding my chin onto the desk as he continued.

"You'll be doing a summer training camp in the woods."

"I freakin' knew it! Nice!" Kaminari cheered.

"Truth or dare!"

"Bathhouses!"

"Fireworks!"

"Curry, yes!"

"Since we'll be out in nature, our training activities will probably be different too."

"So, it's all about making the right decisions regardless of environment… cool."

"All of us living together! I'm pumped!"

I raised a brow at our rambunctious class, giving Tokoyami a look. "They do realize this is more likely to be training _hell_ than fun and games, right?"

He shrugged. "You never know. They might give us a bit of free time depending on how we do."

"However," Aizawa spoke up, silencing everyone with a glare. "Anyone who doesn't pass the upcoming final exams is in for summer school hell right here."

"Do your best, guys!" Kirishima shouted as Bakugou huffed.

"So freakin' stupid."

I agreed, knowing Bakugou wasn't the only one who would be able to ace the exams. _I'm ahead in class too now. While recovering from my injuries, Orca made sure to drill in the info I was missing about Hero Politics, history, and law._ A week before the exams though, a lot of the others weren't as confident.

"I didn't study at all!" Kaminari panicked. "Between the Sport's festival and internship, it totally slipped my mind."

"Indeed," Tokoyami murmured.

"Midterms were, well… We haven't covered much since school, so they weren't all that tough. But now we've had all these other events. I think the finals were gonna be much harder."

Mineta though, grinned, having ranked ninth out of twenty-one in the midterms. "Sucks that there's gonna be a practical exam too."

"We thought you were one of us!"

"Guys like you are only lovable when you're morons!" Kaminari complained. "There's just no demand for whatever you _actually_ are!"

"Such is life."

"Ashido, Kaminari! Let's try the best we can!" Midoriya cheered along with Iida.

"Yes!"

Todoroki spared him a glance as well. "Haven't you been attending class? How could you possibly fail?"

"Words hurt, you know!" Kaminari whipped around to me as I yawned. "And how could you be ranked at second? You're practically asleep half the class and weren't even _in_ a school before now!"

I raised a brow. "Honestly, I'm just clever."

He held up a shaking fist and I sighed.

"Though, if you were a little nicer, I might be willing to help you out with studying."

He dropped to the ground at my feet and I lifted them with a grimace, hoping he hadn't tried to kiss my shoes. "Oh, great Hotaru! I will gladly do your bidding for a chance at the training camp!"

"G-Get off the floor, you moron! I said be polite, not grovel!"

Yayorozu offered to help with academics as well, and soon everyone was splitting up into study-session groups.

"I'm willing to help with the tips for the practical too," I offered, drawing hopeful gazes to me and I hastily held my hands up. "B-Because I live on campus, I might be able to get permission to use an arena, so long as a teacher's willing to supervise."

"Seriously!"

That'd be awesome!"

"It would definitely prove beneficial."

Midoriya grinned. "Hotaru's good too! She helped with the Sport's Festival too, remember?"

Heads were bobbed as we headed for the cafeteria and I started to pile up food on my tray, a spot of drool slipping past my lips.

"U-Uh, weren't you on a strict diet, Hotaru?"

I nodded. "Still kind of am but it's a different kind. Recovery Girl said I need to eat more carbs and protein to keep up with training, especially since I lost weight again while healing because I was sick."

"O-Oh," Midoriya muttered, still eyeing my pile of food precariously as we picked a table and the finals were brought up again. "The academic test'll just draw from what we learned in class. That's manageable, but the practical? That's scarier since we have no idea how it'll go."

_I know, and a part of me is thrilled to see the looks on their faces when they find out we'll be doing team battles against the teachers. _I stayed silent though, not imputing anything as I stuffed my face with ramen.

"I can't imagine it will consist of anything particularly unusual," Iida commented, and I snorted.

"With Aizawa in charge? I wouldn't leave out any possibility."

"G-Good point…"

"So, about the academic subjects being manageable…" Uraraka said in concern."

"It's probably just a comprehensive test of everything from the first semester."

"That's all Aizawa-sensei has told us," Asui tacked on.

"There was battle training, rescue training, and basic training, right?"

Midoriya hummed. "So, in addition to our usual studies, we've got to keep it in tip-top physical sh—" Midoriya was cut off when I abruptly stood, purposely bumping into the blonde behind me and dumping his food all over his uniform.

_Red wine? Well, his loss. That's really gonna stain. _"Whoops," I muttered as he gaped in shock. "I'd say sorry, but it was kind of your fault for walking so close behind us."

"W-Why you—" Monoma from Class B froze at the sight of my glare.

_That's right, you twat. I knew you were going to be an ass, so piss off before you lose more than just your lunch._

"Hotaru!" Midoriya squeaked, and I raised a brow as Monoma spoke up with a broken chuckle.

"Y-You'll regret that. I heard you ran into the Hero Killer too. I guess the Sport's Festival wasn't enough. You just keep getting attention with one stunt after another, huh, Class A? But now it's looking like the attention isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's starting to get dangerous, right? Pretty scary! I'm just worried that one of these days, we're all gonna get caught up in some of your antics! Scary!"

My eye twitched in annoyance as I cracked my knuckles threateningly. "I can make things scarier for you if you want, Monoma-_san_."

Before he could say anything, Kendo from his class came up behind him and knocked him out.

"That's not funny," she chided him. "Didn't you hear about her injuries? Sorry, Class A. This guy, his heart's just… well." She looked at me. "How _are_ your injuries, Hotaru-san?"

"Fine," I hummed, relaxing and returning to my seat. "Still tender at times, but tolerable."

I scratched at the scar on my nose as she spoke to the others about the practical. _I don't know her that well, but she knows who I am. By name too. That can be good or bad. My name is being spread around the school. Could mean I'm making enemies… or possible allies, I suppose._ I spotted a head of purple hair across the cafeteria. _Doubt he's spreading it. Doesn't seem the type. _Kendo dragged Monoma off as Midoriya began his strategic muttering until I clapped a hand on his back.

"H-Hotaru!" He whined as I gathered my dishes.

"I wouldn't relax just because of what she said."

"Why not?" Uraraka questioned.

"A lot of things have happened this year. It wouldn't surprise me if they took that into account and changed the curriculum."

"I suppose you're right."

_Aw, damn. Now he's depressed. Good job, Hotaru._ "J-Just, um… be careful. Don't go prepping for one thing only to have it end up being something else and getting screwed, you know? Heroes have to be prepared for anything, right?"

He grinned, allowing my muscles to relax. "You're right. I'll definitely remember that!"

I grunted with a small smile of my own before turning around and bringing a hand up to cover my bright red cheeks. _S-Shit, that smile!_ I hastily shook it off and headed for the teacher's lounge in the hopes of catching Aizawa. I lucked out and approached his desk, earning a long, drawn-out sigh.

"God, I didn't even say anything yet," I huffed as his dead eyes turned to me.

"You're either here to annoy me or add more work to my plate. And before you ask, _no_, I will not tell you the answers to the final or what the practical is."

I blinked. "Um, wasn't going to ask, but thanks? I was actually going to ask if I could get permission to use one of the arenas or gyms this week."

His eyes narrowed, turning in his chair and folding his arms over his chest. "For?"

I scratched at my nose, looking away slightly. "I was… planning on tutoring some of my classmates and thought we could do some training for the practical. Learn from each other, you know?"

His brows furrowed deeper and I hastily waved my hands.

"W-With a teacher's supervision, of course. I-I thought Present Mic wouldn't mind since you're setting up the final and—"

"All right."

I stood there, stunned. "R-Really?"

"That _is_ what I said," he huffed, reaching over and handing me a piece of paper. "Have anyone who's coming to write their names there and I'll get Present Mic to supervise. I'm only allowing a max of eight other people, with only _two_ who don't sign the paper, but show up anyway, got it?"

I nodded, beaming. "Thanks!" I grinned, practically flying out of the room and missing Present Mic poking his head over the top of Aizawa's cubicle.

"Sounds like she's excited. Never thought she'd be initiating group sessions with classmates."

Aizawa huffed, returning to his paperwork. "The internship was good for her, is all… and you owe me a thousand yen."

Present Mic clicked his tongue. "I was hoping you'd forget that bet."

Oblivious to the betting that had occurred, I hurried back to the classroom and waved the paper.

"I got permission to use the gym!"

"That's great!" Midoriya cheered as I nodded.

"I can sign up eight people per day. Just fill this out and we're set."

Bakugou clicked his tongue, making for the door and I blinked when he slammed it shut behind him. _Did I miss something?_

"Don't worry about it," Iida informed me, waving his hands about as he signed my paper. "He seems angry about something, as always."

"Oh…" I looked at the door though, before giving in to an urge. "Excuse me for a second." I hurried out the door and called out to the fleeing blonde. "Oi, Hot-Head!"

He whipped around with a glare. "Don't _call_ me that, mutt!"

_Whatever,_ I thought, rolling my eyes. "You're welcome to show up at the gym to practice for the final. I won't even make you sign the form."

"I don't need your damn help," he bit out and I shrugged.

"Just offering. If you change your mind, feel free to show up."

I turned and retreated back to the classroom, missing Bakugou staring at the door for a moment longer before stomping off… a little less furious than a moment ago. Aizawa having seen the whole thing.

* * *

I fidgeted anxiously, shifting from one foot to another and pacing back and forth. _Do I have enough futons? Snacks? Chef helped me out b-but I'm not good at this sort of thing. It's too late to back out now, but I didn't expect to fill out that form so quickly. Should I have asked for another room? Will everyone fit? God, I-I don't even know how good I am at teaching. Why did I offer to do this? Can I cancel? Surely, no one's on their way here already. It's only…_ I glanced at the clock and felt the color drain from my face. _Dear God, it's time. It's already time. M-Maybe no one's coming?_

Someone knocked on the door, making me jump and a curse escaped my lips when my Quirk suddenly caused me to change. I hesitantly poked my head out from around the corner, whiskers twitching as they knocked again. _Great. Now, look what I've done. I'm a stupid meerkat. If I wasn't useless before, I certainly am now._ I sighed, scampering towards the door and clambering up a shoe rack. With a leap, I latched onto the door handle and got the door open.

"Hey, Hotaru… Hotaru?"

"It's a ghost!"

"I'm not a ghost, you nitwit!" I complained, scuttling out from behind the door and standing up as tall as I could, arms crossed over my chest in annoyance.

Uraraka, Iida, Midoriya, Tokoyami, Koda, Ojiro, Shoji, and Aoyama leaned forward to look at me and I flushed slightly in embarrassment.

"W-What! You startled me and my Quirk kicked in!"

"Cute," Uraraka breathed out and my face heated up as I changed again.

"S-Stop it!" I complained, tucking my face sheepishly under my quills. "Now, I'm even smaller!"

"But more adorable!" Uraraka cooed, picking me up as I curled more in humiliation. "I always wanted a hedgehog."

"I'm not your pet!"

The group just chuckled, and I was placed on the table. Clearing my throat, I uncurled myself and looked over the group.

"There are food and snacks in the kitchen, and I've got futons for everyone to set up where they want. I figure we can grab some snacks and then settle down and figure out which subjects everyone needs to work on. And… hey! Are you guys listening?"

They weren't. Everyone had sort of dropped their things and were wandering around my apartment-like dorm room.

"Wow. They gave you so much room!"

"You've got a full kitchen!"

"Your room is very organized!"

_That's because I don't have any personal items, _I mentally complained, sighing. "Yes, I have a lot of room and they added a kitchen so I wouldn't have to bother Chef for food daily. And I like to be organized. Not like I had anything to move in."

"It's a bit… lonely."

I turned my gaze to Midoriya but Uraraka and Iida were quick to brighten the conversation.

"We'll just have to bring things to brighten stuff up next time!"

"Quite! And it's good to not have your room cluttered! Better for thinking and studying!"

"Right… Look. Just grab a plate of snacks, grab a drink, and let's get started. And would someone mind getting me something? It'll take forever like this and I'd rather not change into something potentially more useless."

They soon got their things, Uraraka bringing me a sandwich and juice as I got settled down with our textbooks and notes.

"So, one at a time. What subject is your worst?"

"Math."

"English."

"Math."

"Science."

"Heroic Studies."

"English."

"Um… all of it?"

I blinked slowly as Uraraka chuckled awkwardly. "Right. Midoriya, you'll pair up with Aoyama. You're better at Heroic Studies than I and Aoyama can work with you on English. I'll work with the rest of you on math. Koda, feel free to join Aoyama. Iida stick with me. Math and science work together a lot. Uraraka… just pick which you want to deal with first."

"I-I think I'll go with Deku's group."

"Then, we'll do this for two hours, take a break then we'll switch topics for another three. After that, we can head to the gym. Present Mic's planning on meeting us there at eight. Now, let's get started."

* * *

Midoriya couldn't believe it as he finished his exam paper feeling more confident than ever before. A glance around the classroom informed him that a number of others from their study group looked much the same. _Hotaru was a really good teacher. She made everything easy to understand and…_ He looked over at her as she yawned. _I never knew she was so good at English._ Partway through their study session, Hotaru had started to speak only in English unless it couldn't be helped. _Now, comes the practical and she did good training us for that too. It's just… It felt like there was a purpose behind it._

"_Oi, Midoriya. You're not fighting properly. You're thinking too hard."_

"_W-What?"_

"_What if you were up against All Might, or a villain as strong as him, hm? He wouldn't give you time to sit back and plan. You have to do it on the fly. Watch his moves, his muscles and predict how the opponent is going to hit. Dodging and putting space between you is fine, but if you let up on an opponent like that, they're gonna use every opportunity to hit back."_

Midoriya hummed as he remembered that. _And then she paired me up against Iida to help me understand. I was surprised when Kacchan showed up though. _He put on his hero uniform, mind stuck in his thoughts. _Why did she try and pair us up though?_

"_Ha? Like hell I'm working together with him."_

"_Look. I know you two have issues. Hell, I'm sure the teachers are aware, but that's exactly why! You have to be able to work together with anyone at the scene of a crime. Even if you hate them. At that moment, you have a common goal. So, you need to put aside your differences and defeat your opponent, or you could end up getting you and your partner killed over something as stupid as personal feelings. And what kind of hero is that?"_

Midoriya walked out with the others, eyeing Bakugou's back as he shoved Hotaru over—her just rolling her eyes. _But she managed to convince him, if only for a bit. And she was right. Our teamwork was terrible. He almost left too, if she hadn't given us a break and fought him one-on-one. He seemed to be holding back though… because of what happened at the Sport's Festival? _He lined up, facing the group of teachers. _Them fighting blew off some of his steam though. After that, we almost managed to work together for a bit._ Midoriya cracked a small smile. _Hotaru really helped. I owe her a lot for that._

"Let's begin your practical exam," Aizawa announced, silencing the murmurs that had started up at the sight of the teachers. "It is, of course, possible to fail this exam. If you want to attend the training camp, then don't mess this up. Knowing you guys, you probably asked around and you might think you have a _vague_ idea of how this'll go."

"It's a robot rumble, like the entrance exam!" Kaminari grinned as Ashido beside him cheered.

"Fireworks! Curry! Truth or dare!"

"Not quite!" President Nezu said, jumping out of Aizawa's scarf. "Circumstances have demanded a revision to the exam format!"

As he explained, Midoriya glanced over at Hotaru, who looked neither surprised nor very concerned. _It's like… she knew. She said as much when we found out about the robot exam from the other students. And… I feel like this isn't the first time either. Didn't she do something similar when the League of Villains attacked us?_

"From now on, we'll focus on battles against flesh-and-blood opponents," Nezu said, looking a little intense. "It is critical that our teaching simulates practical experience as closely as possible! As such, you students will be pairing up and fighting one of the teachers you see here!"

"Against the teachers?" Uraraka muttered.

"Your pairings and assigned teacher have already been decided. Your battle moves, your grades, your friendships with one another. All these factors and more were considered, so without further ado… First, Todoroki is with Yayorozu against me," Aizawa grinned. "Next, Midoriya is with Bakugou and your opponent…"

"Will be me!" All Might declared, making them pale. "You'll have to work together to win, so come at me, you two!"

Midoriya was stunned, unable to help but look at Hotaru as she glanced evenly back. _S-She knew. She must have. T-That's why she tried to get us to work together while we were practicing. But how?_ Said student ended up being paired with Kaminari and Ashido against President Nezu, but Midoriya was still in shock.

"Ten stages have been prepared, and all teams will begin simultaneously," Aizawa explained once things were sorted. "The test guidelines will be explained by your respective opponents. None of the areas are outside the school grounds, but let's not waste any more time. Get going."

Midoriya and Bakugou made for the bus that would take them to their area but Bakugou turned suddenly and glared at him.

"Look, Deku. I don't know what that damn mutt Hotaru was thinking before," he started but turned away. "But let's just get this stupid test over with. I'm not failing because of you."

Midoriya blinked, having been prepared for an argument or a fight. Instead, he cracked a hesitant smile and rushed after him. _I think that means we're going to work together. I don't know what Hotaru did in that fight with Bakugou, but… I really do owe her, don't I?_

* * *

I shifted uneasily, holding the handcuffs Nezu had given me as he bounded off and Kaminari grinned.

"We got this, right guys?"

"Yeah!" Ashido cheered, whereas I was a little more hesitant.

_They fail the practical exam. I can't. I need to be at the training camp and in a position to help when I can. So, I can't lose. I need to help them pass._ I tucked the cuffs away and got their attention.

"Guys, we need a plan."

"We _have_ a plan," Kaminari scoffed. "I get close and zap him. Done."

_God, how did I forget? These two are _not_ the most intelligent. How did I get paired with them again?_ "Look. I don't think it's going to be that easy. This is a large place. He's small and _damn_ intelligent. He's not just going to let us get close. He's not exactly the fighter type either. He's gonna go block our exits first, is my guess, keeping his distance at the same time."

Kaminari finally looked a little concerned as Ashido fidgeted.

"So, what do we do?"

"Either we find a way to get to the exits fast, without going directly there—"

"Like a confusing path?"

"So, he can't predict our moves!"

I nodded. "Or we find a way to break through barriers in our way."

"My acid Quirk can help with that." Ashido grinned, but I paused, waving them in closer.

"_Or_, I have one other idea."

* * *

"Kaminari, can't you blast some lightning or something!" Ashido called in a panic as a building crumbled near where they'd been heading.

"I can't go wasting shots when we can't even find him!" Kaminari complained. "Or do you want a useless lump as a partner?"

"Guys, stop fighting or we'll get nowhere!" Hotaru snapped, the three of them ducking out of the way as more rubble fell.

Nezu cackled in the wrecking crane, sipping his tea. "Bingo! I know exactly what to destroy to set off ideal chain reactions. Why, it's so simple I can pour tea while I'm at it. And you three haven't even realized that I'm gradually blocking off all paths to the exit! Brainy villains in action are a thrill to watch. Hahaha!"

Midoriya, who'd been watching from the infirmary after winning with Bakugou, chewed his nails in concern. "Will Kaminari, Ashido, and Hotaru be okay? This is rough for them."

"Nezu was _toyed_ with by humans in all sorts of ways in the past," Recovery Girl explained. "He lets it all out at times like this."

"Idiot," Bakugou huffed beside him, frowning at the screen and startling him. "She won't go down without a fight."

Midoriya bit his bottom lip, knowing he owed Hotaru a _little_ support after what she did to help them win. _We surprised All Might too. He didn't expect us to work together right out the gate, but…_ "Why hasn't she done anything yet?"

"She has, you moron," he growled, pointing at the screen. "Pay the fuck attention and look."

Midoriya looked up in shock to find that Ashido and Kaminari had ducked into a building, no Hotaru in sight.

"S-She abandoned them?"

Bakugou punched him upside the head. "Don't be fucking stupid! Look what the lightning idiot's doing!

Kaminari had a hand on the ground with an intense look on his face as he muttered to someone. Then, he perked up suddenly.

"It worked!" He grinned, looking at Ashido. "Fifty meters west and thirty-seven south of us!"

"On it!" She called out, shooting acid from her palms and taking out some of the windows on the building.

"What are they doing?" Midoriya asked.

"Sending a message."

Sure enough, the screen flickered and backed out, giving Midoriya an idea.

"Oh my God. They took out the fifth-floor windows on the west side of the building."

"And the third and seventh on the south side."

"They gave Hotaru directions, but how did they find the President?"

"Electrical signals are my guess," Recovery Girl commented. "Those two lucked out by getting paired with her. They might not have gotten anywhere otherwise."

Bakugou scoffed and left as Midoriya looked at the screens in shock.

"But… where _is_ Hotaru?"

* * *

I leaped across metal pipes, squeezing through holes in the debris the President had knocked over and only pausing to catch my breath; ringed black and white tail standing up on end to keep me balanced. _Got a ring-tailed lemur on the first go, which is nice. Just hoping I can sneak up on Nezu. He's an animal too. Good hearing, good nose. I really need to be careful. _I took a steadying breath and made for the ball-wielding crane—ducking inside and sweat dropping as the President cackled. _Doesn't he know he's spilling tea awfully close to the controls?_ I pushed the thought from my mind and moved up carefully behind him. I shouldn't have been surprised when he whipped around.

"Clever as always, Hotaru," he complimented as I hesitated.

"Thanks, I guess," I murmured. _He has to have a plan. He's not reacting like a villain about to be caught. What's he up to?_

"Have you figured out why I placed you with Ashido and Kaminari?" He asked, unbothered by my presence.

"Uh, they have the lowest grades and are poor in strategy with their Quirks while I'm the opposite?"

"Excellent deductions! Which is exactly why I knew it would be _you_ coming if they chose to attack the villain." He grinned, pressing a button and sealing the crane shut with me in it.

"Right, but I _do _have the cuffs."

"You mean those?"

I looked out the window where he pointed out the cuffs sitting on the roof of the building. My eyes widened as I looked down at my empty hands.

"When did you—"

"You're not the only one skilled in pick-pocketing."

I couldn't help but smirk as adrenaline pumped through my veins. "Oh, you cheeky _rat_."

He raised a brow. "Name-calling? Now, I thought you might have been above that. Bit childish."

"So is taking out past digressions on a bunch of kids while cackling away up in your box," I countered, earning a hum as Nezu shrugged.

"Perhaps, but it _is_ to teach you and your friends some important lessons."

"Yeah, but you forgot one thing."

"What's that?"

I gave him a cocky smirk. "You should have read Recovery Girl and Gang Orca's reports on my file. I believe they said something along the lines of…" I bounded onto the controls, using my tail to knock Nezu's tea onto them. "…reckless, self-sacrificing, and a pain in the ass when backed into a corner."

The controls sparked violently, releasing the metal shields that kept me trapped and causing the crane to jerk unsteadily. I leaped onto the top of it, peering down at the surprised Nezu as I dangled the cuffs in front of him.

"What now, Pres?"

He smirked. "You're good."

"I try. So, what'll it be? You put on the cuffs and declare our victory, or I ditch you in your slowly exploding crane to escape with Ashido and Kaminari, and _still_ win this game of yours."

"Very well." He smiled softly, holding out his hands. "Team Ashido, Kaminari and Hotaru win."

And the cuffs clicked shut.

* * *

Aizawa stepped into homeroom the next morning as Ashido, Kaminari, and others shuffled nervously.

"Morning. About your final exams. Sadly, we had some failures, though not as many as we expected due to some last-minute cramming."

I awkwardly looked away from his steady gaze, scratching my nose as I was smacked good-heartedly on the back for my efforts.

"As such, you're all going to summer training camp!"

"What a twist!" Everyone cheered.

"Everyone cleared the written tests," Aizawa went on. "But in the practical, Kirishima, Sato, and Sero all failed. Kaminari and Ashido, you both barely hit the passing mark. I suggest you thank Hotaru for that."

Kaminari gave me a grin and thumbs-up as Ashido cheered, making me sink a little in my seat.

"Wait, we're really allowed to go?" Kirishima questioned.

"As the villains in this test. We teachers came up with assignments perfectly suited to all of you. Ones that would give you chances to devise winning strategies. If we hadn't, none of you would've stood a chance."

"So, when you said you were really going to crush us…"

"That was to push you. We are talking about _training _camp, after all. More than anyone else, those who failed are in dire need of this. This was another rational deception."

"Rational deception?"

"We're been fooled again!" Iida grit out. "I expect nothing less from U.A.! But!" He bolted up onto his feet, hand raised. "Now that we've been lied to twice, aren't you worried that our faith in you has been shaken?"

I snorted, earning a frustrated look from him before Aizawa cleared his throat.

"Perhaps but consider the facts. It wasn't _entirely_ a lie. Failure is still failure. You fie will receive special supplemental lessons. To be honest, they'll be far worse than summer school. Anyway, I'll be handing out camp manuals. Take one and pass it back."

"W-Wait, five? Only three failed!"

Aizawa shot Kaminari a look, making him shrink back. "And the teachers discussed it. Scoring the bare minimum to pass based on a plan someone else came up with and convinced you to use, shows that you and Ashido still need just as much work as those who failed. So, you'll be joining us in summer school."

He sank in depression as Aizawa left and class was finished. As everyone packed their things though, I stared at the list of what we'd need in apprehension. _Aizawa didn't say whether the school would provide these for me. If I have to use my allowance… could I afford all this?_ I swallowed thickly. _I know the training camp turns into a shit show, so I won't need things like a bathing suit, but…_

"This packing list is huge," Midoriya said, voicing my thoughts out loud.

"I don't even have a bathing suit," Kaminari mused. "There's a ton of stuff I've got to buy."

Toru spoke up then, excitedly. "Oh, I know! We're off tomorrow and tests are over, so how about we all go shopping together, Class A?"

"Good idea! This'll be a first, come to think of it." Kaminari grinned.

"Hey, you come too, Bakugou!" Kirishima said, nudging the disgruntled blond.

"No way in hell! What a waste of time."

Midoriya looked to Todoroki and me. "You two gonna come?"

"I visit… someone on my days off," Todoroki rejected and Midoriya's hopeful gaze turned to me.

"Hotaru?"

"I, um…" I hesitated, starting to get up and head for the door. "I'll have to see. Sorry."

"O-Oh, okay," he muttered before suddenly standing. "I-I'll text you the time and place! J-Just in case."

I paused in the doorway, cracking a small smile. "Ah, thanks, Midoriya."

* * *

I shuffled awkwardly, fingers twitching as I slipped through the crowded mall uneasily. _Damn. I didn't expect this to be so hard. I'm not personally a fan of crowds, but they're great for pick-pocketing and…_ I grit my teeth, forcing my hand to move away from a woman's purse. _Old habits die hard. How the hell does security even __**manage**__ this place?_

"Hotaru! You made it!"

I turned toward Midoriya's familiar voice to see a number of other Class A students, hesitantly joining them. "Y-Yeah. Sorry about not replying sooner. I, um, just wanted to make sure whether or not the school was going to cover anything I needed."

Their eyes widened.

"Oh my God, we totally forget!" Ashido gasped, covering her mouth as Uraraka hastily looked around.

"I-I'm sure we could cover what you need if we all pitch in, right guys?"

There were nods and muttered agreements, but I quickly waved them off.

"No, no. It's fine. The school gave me money to get what I need. I'm on a budget, so I can't go splurging it, but I'm good. I'm covered. It _is_ a school trip, after all."

"That's good," Midoriya smiled, making me crack a small one in return.

_Yeah, but this is where you get nabbed by Shigaraki. I don't think I can do anything, but I'd rather not have you end up alone. _Our group began discussing what everyone needed then, as different shopkeepers called out to those of us with more obvious Quirks. Yayorozu and Jiro went off to get duffle bags; Kaminari and Iida wanted to get shoes, and Mineta went to go off and be a pervert.

"Our manual recommends _well-worn_ footwear," Iida announced, practically vibrating with excitement. "Or, ah… should we be focusing on utility instead?"

I sighed. "If you get new shoes, you're going to have to work them in or else you'll get blisters. You can't just put on a set of hiking boots and go for a ten-mile hike, you know."

"Ah! You're right! Kaminari!" He rushed after him to relay what I said and I rolled my eyes as everyone went off—leaving Midoriya, Uraraka and I.

"They all went off in a hurry," Midoriya muttered and I scoffed.

"It's a shopping trip for training camp. They're just excited."

"Ah. H-How about you, Hotaru? Uraraka? I'm looking for a couple of heavy wrist weights."

"I need bug spray," she piped up but gave me a look that put a sour taste in my mouth. "Bug… Bug spray!" She ran away from us and I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly.

"W-Well, that was odd."

"It's probably my fault," I murmured under my breath. _I'm getting too close to Midoriya and she hasn't figured out she likes him yet. I'm not even competition though._

"What? Your fault?"

I winced, not knowing I'd spoken up loud enough for him to hear, and quickly waved a hand. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it. We should go get your weights and catch up with some of the others. We're bound to bump into someone, and I could do with some weights myself."

"Oh, all right."

We started to walk, but I was a little distracted—eyes searching the crowd for Shigaraki. _I can feel it now too. He's close. Watching, waiting._

"Um, I-I was wondering…" Midoriya spoke up, distracting me slightly. "I wanted to thank you for helping Kacchan and I for the final, but something's been bothering me… It was… like you knew."

_Dammit, Midoriya. Not now._

"You made sure Kacchan and I got used to fighting together and even mentioned that the final could be changed—that we need to act as if we were fighting the teachers, which we did."

"Lucky guess," I muttered, pulling to a stop. _Where? Where is he?_

"But I don't think it is," he argued, stepping in front of me and drawing my attention to him. "Even before, when the villains attacked…" He looked down with a frown. "Look. I-I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to, but I think—"

"Midoriya," I said as calmly as possible as a cold hand wrapped around my throat and a hot breath tickled my ear.

"What—" He looked up and paled as Shigaraki smirked from over my shoulder.

"Let's get some tea and chat, Izuku Midoriya and Hotaru Hirai."

"Hota—"

"Be quiet, Midoriya," I hissed, more than a little annoyed that I hadn't realized the villain was behind me. _He's good. I'll give him that._

"Clever as always," Shigaraki hummed. "Now, you're gonna act like we're a couple of old pals. No making a scene, okay? I just wanna talk, that's all. So, don't you try anything funny, Hotaru. It'd be all too easy. The second all five of my fingers touch your neck, your throat would start crumbling, from the skin inward. You'd turn to dust in under a minute."

"Just get on with your chat already," I growled. "Though, to think you'd give up an aspect of your Quirk like that. I might use it later."

"H-Hotaru!" Midoriya cringed, but Shigaraki smirked.

"You're rather… _dark_ for someone training to be a hero."

"I'm a realist. There's a difference."

"But… in a crowd like this?" Midoriya spoke up, eyes on the hand at my throat. "Try to kill her and the heroes will show up. They'll come and catch you."

"Don't do anything stupid, Midoriya," I grumbled, catching gazes with him. "Even if he gets caught, he's an idealist. He won't spill anything to authorities. He'll probably escape. And when people get cornered, they take down as many innocent bystanders as they can with them."

Shigaraki chuckled. "Too right. It's not crazy to imagine that someone could commit an atrocity at any given moment. So, why do they smile and mingle like this? Those people? Because the laws and rules are built on their individual morality. They're convinced that 'no one would ever do that.' In the time it'd take to catch me, I could take twenty… No. I could take _thirty_ of them out."

"Playing with people's morality," I scoffed, wincing slightly when his grip tightened on my throat. "You're lucky Midoriya's here. I'd have chewed off one of your fingers by now."

He said nothing, just eyeing me for a moment until Midoriya spoke.

"Talk about what?"

Shigaraki chuckled, starting to lead me to a planter. "Smart move. We might as well sit for this. I'd say try to relax, Hotaru, but you seem rather comfortable despite your life on the line."

"Coping mechanism," I answered, lifting up a quivering hand. "I assure you, I'm panicking internally, but I've learned long ago that keeping calm is usually for the best."

He hummed as we sat—Midoriya's worried gaze starting to bother me now. _Stop it. I-I'm fine. I know he doesn't do anything and… dammit. It's supposed to be you here! I thought about leaving you, idiot! So, stop looking at me like that!_

"I pretty much hate everyone and everything," Shigaraki said, myself nearly asking if he liked ice cream, but Midoriya had caught the mischievous twinkle in my eye and stomped on my foot. "But right now, what really grinds my gears is the Hero Killer."

"Wasn't he working with you?" Midoriya asked.

"I never really agreed to that, even if society seems to think so."

"You mean, you tried, and he ditched your plan," I concluded, letting out a pained grunt as his grip went tight.

"Be careful toying with me, brat. As it is, everyone's got their eye on the damned Hero Killer. Our attacks on U.A… the Nomu I unleashed in Hosu… It's all been overshadowed by _him_. No one's noticing me. Why? He can grandstand all he wants but, in the end, all he's doing is destroying what he hates. So, what makes us different?"

"You idiot," I scoffed, earning his attention. "He was fighting against an unjust system. He's not playing games or getting revenge on a single hero. He has ideas that make sense. That connect with people. You're just killing to kill. He had a reason."

Midoriya nodded in agreement. "I can't accept what you do, and I don't understand it. The Hero Killer, although I can't accept him, I _do_ understand him. For both me and the Hero Killer, it all started with All Might. Back then, he even saved me. So, at the very least, he's destructive but as Hotaru said, he's doing it for a reason. It's not just for fun. Not at all. His methods may be wrong, but I think he's at least trying to live by his ideals.

The killing intent spiked, making me stiffen as Shigaraki's fingers tightened around my neck. Midoriya felt it too, paling and shivering.

"Ah, it's all so clear now. Feels like I've connected the dots about why the Hero Killer pisses me off so much and about why you're so damn irritating, Midoriya. I think I get it now. It's all cos of All Might."

"Uh, no. It's not," I argued, but he cut my voice short as he gripped my throat hard enough to make me short of breath.

"Man, what was I so hung up on anyway? The reason these fools can smile and live their lives is cos All Might's always got that grin on his face."

I choked, drawing Midoriya's attention as I reached a hand up—forcing myself to only grip my shirt for fear Shigaraki would kill me if I touched his hand.

"Smiling wide, as if to say there's no one he can't save!" Shigaraki cackled. "Ah, I'm glad we had this chat! So glad! Thanks, you two. I'm heading down the right path for me."

I shifted and he glared.

"Hey, no squirming! Do you wanna die? You saying you want some of these fine people to die? Pretty ironic, uh, Hero Killer?"

Midoriya moved closer and I saw a hint of green electricity spark on his hand, making me send him a glare. _Don't you dare. Don't be a hero for once, Midoriya. I'm not going to have people die because of us. I'm not going to have you die because of me._

"Deku? Hotaru?"

All our eyes whipped to Uraraka as she neared, and I held back a curse.

"A friend?... No, doesn't look like it," she realized, starting to look concerned. "Could you get off her?"

Midoriya was quick to stop her. "It's nothing. We've fine. Y-You need to stay back."

Shigaraki suddenly let me go, beaming away as he got up to leave and I choked. "I didn't realize you two came with someone. Sorry 'bout that. Well, I'm off. You know what happens if you follow me."

"A-Ass wipe," I spat, coughing and wheezing as Uraraka and Midoriya rushed over.

Midoriya though had a question of his own. "W-Wait, Shigaraki. All for One. What's he after?"

"Huh? Shigaraki? You mean…" Uraraka gaped as I nudged her.

"Get help. Q-Quickly. Heroes, security."

She nodded and called the police as Shigaraki responded to Midoriya.

"Dunno. What you _should _worry about is meeting me again. Cos that's when you die."

He disappeared into the crowd as the police showed up, shutting down the mall and sending the rest of Class A home. Midoriya and I were brought into the police station to be interviewed by Detective Tsukauchi—the head of the task force after the League of Villains. It took a little longer than needed, but they let Midoriya and I both get interviewed at the same time. I let Midoriya explain most of it, only adding in my parts when necessary. Shigaraki had done a number on my neck and with the deep purple bruising, I had difficulties speaking. _They said Recovery Girl will check it out tomorrow, but we're done for now._

"Hm… from what you've told me, it doesn't sound like this league is completely unified. However, they're still going after All Might. Anyway, thanks for your help, Midoriya, Hotaru."

I grunted with a small cough but Midoriya eyed the table uncertainly.

"Well, I mean, I just wish I could've stopped him and ended it right there."

I smacked him upside the head, shooting him a glare. "We were in a b-bind. Either thirty people die, o-or we just shut up and wait. Blaming yourself is… stupid," I croaked out, huffing and looking away. "I should have felt him behind me. T-Tricky bastard."

"N-Now, now," Tsukauchi chuckled awkwardly. "You two held it together while he was threatening you and other civilians. Most people would have gotten scared and started panicking. It's thanks to your cool heads that nobody got hurt."

Midoriya slowly nodded and Tsukauchi led us out of the building where All Might called out with a small wave.

"Thank goodness you two are safe," he breathed out, patting Midoriya's head fondly. "So, sorry I wasn't there to save you."

"You've got a life too," I grumbled with a cough and cringe. _Dammit, don't look at me like that, All Might. You're Midoriya's hero, not mine. Don't blame yourself like he does._

"All Might," Midoriya spoke up. "Was there ever a time you really _couldn't_ save someone?"

"…Sure. Plenty of times. Right now, somewhere out in the world, someone could be hurting or dying. It sucks, but I'm only human. I can't save people who are out of my reach."

_That's not what he meant. You're avoiding it, aren't you? How many have you failed right in front of you, All Might?_

"I'm the Symbol of Justice. The citizens, heroes, villains. I need to light the way for all of them."

"Who put you in charge?" I scoffed under my breath, head getting shoved down as All Might roughly mused my hair.

"Cheeky brat."

"Is what Shigaraki said bugging you?" Tsukauchi called out. "He's probably just a sore loser. Every time he's appeared so far, there hasn't been a single person who wouldn't be saved."

"Don't underestimate him," I warned seriously, startling him.

"Right… well, it's getting late. Here's your ride, Midoriya."

The police station opened, and his mother rushed out, sobbing as he tried to comfort her. One of the officers sent them off and I watched them go with a heavy feeling in my chest.

"Ah, we couldn't find any contact information on you, Hotaru," Tsukauchi commented sheepishly.

I didn't turn away from the exit. "It's fine. I can walk or whatever."

"I'll get you a police escort and—"

"I said it's fine," I argued, not in the mood to be coddled and All Might stopped him.

"It's okay. I'll take her back."

I huffed and plopped down on the stairs, knowing they still had more to discuss. They stepped out of my range of hearing to do so, but I didn't care. _I'm tired. _I dragged a hand down my face. _God, just… Why? I've got nothing here. No family—sure, some friends, but… I'm just so tired. They'll be fine in the end, right? So, why do I keep getting involved? To have purpose? _I sighed heavily as All Might stepped up beside me.

"Ready to go?"

I nodded, pushing myself up and tucking my hands into the pocket of my hoodie as we walked.

"That was a rather long sigh for someone so young," All Might commented. "Something on your mind, Hotaru?"

"Midoriya and I were just singled out by one of the leaders of the League of Villains. Of course, something's on my mind. I'm not so naive to believe everything's all fine now. We're about to go off on a school trip too, leaving every single student in my class vulnerable and it doesn't look like anyone's taking this serious enough."

He placed a hand on my shoulder, turning me around. "We're taking this very seriously. Every action we're taking is to deal with what the League is doing. We _will_ keep you all safe."

"You can't promise that," I argued, pushing his hand off me. "And your speeches might work on Midoriya and the others, but I'm not stupid. You want us safe? Hold the training camp at school, not out in the open. Oh, but wait, I forgot. Your actions aren't to protect us. It's to protect the damn school's reputation."

"That's not—"

"Don't _lie_ to me," I growled. "The first time we were attacked, when we should have canceled the Sport's Festival to ensure the safety of the students? Oh, but then the school would look weak, can't do that."

"Nothing happened because of the added security."

I scoffed, turning to walk again. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that. We just lucked out. Hell, they were probably watching to get a better understanding of what our Quirks were for next time. Did you ever think of that?"

"We're trying, Hotaru."

"And when will 'trying' not be enough? When someone dies? A student? A teacher?" I questioned, watching him clench his fists. "No one's looking at the bigger picture. What do they want? What is the _purpose?_ All we're doing is building up a haphazard shield to try and protect our dignity when we should be doing _something,_ and it's really starting to piss me off. This isn't a damn game. It's not a pissing contest to see who's better, heroes or villains. It's a well-thought-out plan to try and take you down and destroy faith in heroes—faith in peace." I ran a hand through my hair, teeth grit in frustration. "And there are damn _kids_ caught in the firing line, but you're all too busy trying to cover your asses to do anything about the threat to their lives."

"You don't think you're one of them…" All Might concluded quietly.

_I hadn't even noticed when I separated myself._ "I'm different than them. I'm not disillusioned by all this hero crap. All the bravado." I scoffed. "That's the one thing the Hero Killer and I agreed on." I looked All Might in the eye. "This society is full of fakes and lies. It's corrupt, but people will keep turning a blind eye to it because heroes like you will protect them. What happens when that falls through? What happens when the heroes can't be trusted to always win? What happens when the Symbol of Justice and Peace or whatever… What happens when _you_ fall, All Might?"

He didn't have an answer, which I expected.

"You better start finding out, because that's what they're after. I'll bet my life on it. And I may not be a top hero like you, but I will take care of my priorities first before I _ever_ deal with the rest of you entitled morons."

"I… I'm sorry," he muttered, though there were so many things he could be apologizing for that I didn't know for which he meant.

"I honestly don't care," I murmured as I left him under the streetlight in front of the school and stormed in. _Apologies don't mean anything if nothing changes, _I mused as I stepped into my darkened room and ignored the pang in my chest at the silence. Stepping out of my shoes, I went straight for my futon and fell into it with a heavy sigh, despite knowing I wouldn't be getting ay sleep. _Why am I here?_


	9. Chapter 9

**Just so everyone knows, these are all pre-written chapters that I've been typing up lately. I've got about 14 chapters completely written up and will be posting them sporadically. After chapter 14 is posted though, it will be a while before an update. The manga is rather... slow to update, and a bit slow plotwise at the moment, so updates will be a while after that.**

**I'll give a warning when I post the chapter that has caught up with the anime (so those not reading the manga can stop there for no spoilers).**

* * *

"What? Some Class A kids are getting extra lessons? That means some of you failed! Huh? How weird is that! Everyone knows Class A is totally superior to Class B, but now this? Wow!" Monoma from Class B joining us called out obnoxiously.

If Kendo hadn't punched him, I was about two seconds from doing so myself. _I'm not in the mood for this. Ever since my talk with All Might, I haven't been sleeping well. I even went and worked out until I was exhausted the last few days._ I squeezed and released the stress-ball in my hand, for now, wishing my headache medication would kick in as we got on the bus. I lucked out and once the bus started moving, I was able to relax slightly, until the person next to me gave me a look out of the corner of his eye.

"I heard you had a discussion with All Might after the incident the other day."

I gave Aizawa an annoyed look. "So? I was in a foul mood and he was treating me like an idiot."

Aizawa sighed. "You shouldn't stress about what's going on."

"Why not? Our lives are in just as much danger as yours," I complained. "I have every right to be concerned about our safety, especially when those in charge don't have a clue."

"And you do?" He countered.

_Yes, believe it or not. I know more shit than you think, and this camp is a death trap._ "I know enough to see when someone's reputation is presiding over people's lives."

Aizawa sighed. "We're doing what we can, and All Might has shared your concerns and idea about what the League is doing to President Nezu and authorities."

I _was_ a little surprised at that. "What?"

"President Nezu is looking into adding to the dorms and moving Class A into the school for next semester."

_But they're going to attack __**now.**_

"The authorities are also canvasing the cities to find more information on the League, as well as questioning lower-class villains and making deals for valuable information." Aizawa shot me a look. "I trust you'll keep this information to yourself."

I nodded slowly, turning my gaze out the window. "Why tell me?"

"All Might spoke with Nezu, Recovery Girl, and I privately after our emergency meeting," he explained. "We all agreed that your insight on various things is helpful and lets us know more about what's on the minds of the students in Class A. Any more of your concerns are to go through us and will be brought up in future meetings."

"I feel there's an 'and' or a 'but' to this."

Aizawa sighed. "But Recovery Girl wants to set up counseling meetings for you. Apparently, some of the things you discussed with All might have her concerned with the state of your mental health."

"Great," I grumbled. "Try to help and I get sanctioned."

"She's just concerned, as are the rest of us," he hummed, eyeing me. "Between your willingness to jump into harm's way, your separation of yourself and your classmates, and your physical health balancing on the precipice of healthy and malnourished—"

"All right! All right, I get it," I huffed. "I'm a mess. Duly noted. When do my therapy sessions start?"

"Soon as training camp is over."

"What!"

"And Recovery Girl suggested a regular diet and exercise plan will assist in keeping you from overworking yourself due to stress. So, myself and various teachers have agreed to do private training regimens with you daily. Us switching out every week until the next semester starts."

"I'm going to get chewed out for special treatment," I argued half-heartedly.

"President Nezu has already cleared it as medically necessary, though when they see you exhausted afterward, I doubt they'll complain about not being included," he smirked as I sweatdropped at what that meant for me.

"Sadist."

* * *

The bus pulled up to a rest area and everyone filed out with muttered grumbles.

"Hold on. What kind of rest stop is this?"

"Right? And where's Class B?"

"Pee… Gotta pee…"

"Of course, we stopped here for a reason," Aizawa said as someone called out to him.

"Heya, Eraser! Sorry. Haven't seen you in a while. Rock on with these sparkling gazes!"

"Stingingly cute and catlike!"

"We're the Wild Wild Pussycats!" Two women called, posing beside an unamused kid.

"These are the pro heroes who'll be helping us out this time," Aizawa introduced. "The Pussycats."

"They're a four-member hero team who all work under a single agency!" Midoriya fangirled. "This veteran team specializes in mountain rescue operations! They've been in business for twelve years now!"

An oversized paw smothered his face. "We're eighteen at heart!"

The other members ignored her. "This whole area here is our territory. Your lodging is at the foot of that mountain over there."

"So far away!"

"Huh? Then, why'd we stop halfway?" Uraraka questioned as others began to figure it out.

"Let's… get back… to the bus? Hurry."

The Pussycat's tail flicked playfully. "It's now 9:30 am. I'm thinking… around noon, at the earliest."

"Aw, crud. No way."

"Run!"

"Back to the bus! Quick!" Kirishima shouted, making some students bolt for it.

Hotaru sighed though, already starting to climb over the metal railing that rounded the cliff's edge.

"Kitties who don't make it there by 12:30 pm won't get any lunch."

"Sorry, kids," Aizawa hummed.

"No, you're not," Hotaru scoffed, head disappearing over the edge of the cliff as a Pussycat used her Quirk to throw the others over the side.

"This is our private territory. So, feel free to use your Quirks! You've got three hours to reach the facility on foot! Make it through the Beast's Forest!"

"The Beast's Forest?" Midoriya gaped as everyone picked themselves out of the mud.

"Seriously? It's like a name straight out of _Dragon's Quest_."

"U.A.'s got a few too many weird places like this."

"No point in complaining. We'd better start moving."

Mineta was the first to bolt past though, unable to hold his bladder any longer. What he came across though, was a huge creature.

"An actual beast!"

Koda stepped forward. "Calm yourself, creature. Please, back down."

The creature did no such thing and before Koda could move, a black and white mass leaped over him and planted a solid foot through the creature's skull—returning it to the dirt. An ostrich turned, giving the group of stunned students a drab look.

"Well? Ya'll just gonna stand there or get moving? Unlike you, lunch is my top priority, so I'm bailing. Later."

"Damn mutt!" Bakugou wailed, palms sparking as he chased Hotaru's retreating form.

It was after five by the time the class stumbled out into the clearing in front of the lodge where Aizawa and the Pussycats waited.

"They're finally here. Needless to say, they didn't make it in time for lunch."

"'It'll only take three hours' yeah, right," Sero complained.

"Sorry. That's how quick _we_ would have made it. Though, one of you managed to make it back pretty close to that timeframe."

The Pussycat pointed towards the small bird perched on Aizawa's shoulder preening its feathers.

"_Mutt._"

The bird lifted its head. "Not my fault you all wasted your time fighting the beasts. _My_ priority was getting the hell out of there and I don't mess around when food's on the line. A white-tailed needletail is one of the fastest birds in the world. I got up to 171 kph even with the trees. Bulky mud creatures got no chance."

"I'm gonna kill you," Bakugou threatened Hotaru, who ignored him as Pixie-Bob caught their attention.

"We actually thought it'd take you longer. And you dealt with my earth beasts pretty easily too. Not too bad, especially you three." She pointed at Midoriya, Todoroki, and Bakugou. "I'm guessing your past experiences allowed you to act without hesitation? Gonna have fun three years from now!" She grinned, charging at them. "I'm marking them as mine."

"Crazy lady," Hotaru muttered as Aizawa gave Mandalay a glance.

"I didn't know she was like _that._"

"She's worried about being a spinster forever."

"A spinster? You're that old?" Midoriya questioned, earning another paw to the face.

"Who's old? Not me!"

"Hey, I've been wondering," he spoke up from behind the paw. "That boy. Who's child is he?"

"Oh, he's actually my nephew," Mandalay replied, waving the boy over. "Kota, come over and say hello. You'll be spending a week with these guys, after all."

Midoriya stepped up to him, holding out a hand. "Hi. I'm Midoriya from U.A. High School's Hero Course. Nice to meetcha."

Both Midoriya and Kota were knocked back when the bird that flew between them changed into a _huge_ moose. Kota, who'd been seconds from punching Midoriya in the crotch, paled at the sight. Hotaru simply towered over him with a huff out her snout.

"Don't be a brat just because you don't like someone else's opinion. I don't put up with childish bullying."

"H-Hotaru!" Midoriya stuttered out in shock, but Kota glared with slightly teary eyes before standing—hat shadowing his face.

"I can't abide jerks who wanna be heroes."

"Then, piss off," Hotaru grumbled, stomping a hoof and making him flinch. "You don't wanna try and be tolerant, then get out of my face, cos _I_ can't abide brats who think they know it all and can get away with being dicks because they believe they're better than everyone else."

"Enough," Aizawa complained, using his Quirk to cancel out Hotaru's and return her to her human form. "Go get your luggage from the bus. Drop your things off in your rooms, then come to dinner in the mess hall. After that, you'll bathe. Then, it's bedtime. Real training starts tomorrow. Now, hurry up. Hotaru, a talk."

"Ooh~"

She shot Kaminari a glare but trailed after Aizawa as Tokoyami helped Midoriya to his feet.

"Why did she do that? I've… never seen her act like that before."

Tokoyami shrugged, eyeing where she'd gone. "She seems tired and that kid looked about ready to punch you. Her interfering prevented it."

"But now Aizawa-sensei is scolding her…"

"She can handle it."

"I guess so."

Dinner was finished quickly and soon everyone went off to the baths. Only one person wasn't in the water enjoying it like everyone else.

"Yes…" Mineta muttered ear pressed to the wood separating the boys from the girl's bath. "They're really there. Guess they don't have girls and boys bathe at different times nowadays. An accident… Yes. We might just have a little accident here."

"Stop that at once, Mineta!" Iida scolded him. "What you're considering would bring shame to both yourself and our female classmates!"

"So strict," he hummed, only to hastily grab a ball from his hair and begin scaling the fence. "We're to overcome these walls! Plus Ultra!"

"So quick! Don't defile our school motto like that!"

Just as Mineta reached the top though, Kota pushed him back down.

"A hero, really? Try learning how to be a good _person_ first."

"You little brat!" Mineta cried as the girls gave him a thumbs-up.

"Mineta's really the worse, huh?"

"Thanks, Kota!"

Kota turned and his face immediately flushed as he started to tumble.

"Shit! I _told_ you to put a towel on, Ashido!"

A hand reached over the fence and grabbed the front of Kota's shirt the same moment Midoriya used his Quirk to jump up to catch him. Green eyes met blue and both went wide as they realized their predicament.

"Ah…" Hotaru muttered as Midoriya flushed, doing everything he could not to look down and see the chest slightly covered by a towel around her neck.

Almost immediately, she changed into an armadillo and fell back to the girl's side of the divide while Midoriya caught Kota and landed back on the boy's. The only thing that passed through his head being the question of why his heart was beating so hard.

* * *

I yawned at 5:30 the next morning along with most of the others. _It's too early._ I scratched the back of my head, glancing slightly to the right and stiffening at the sight of Midoriya. _Shit. Why did I have to go and do that? I-I can't even look at him!_

"Morning, kids," Aizawa greeted. "Today, the real training camp begins. Ideally, you will all emerge stronger. Strong enough to acquire your provisional licenses. More specifically, there's a growing hostile force out there. Through this, you'll be prepared to face it, so stay sharp and work hard."

I yawned again as he got Bakugou to throw some ball, proving a point that I already knew about. _We need to train our Quirks. I've done that with Gang Orca. Not much I can do. I'm only able to use what's in my animals' ability range, or I change. I've mostly figured out how to get it to cooperate with my needs now, though emotions can apparently cause me to forcefully change. So, I guess I'll be stuck improving basic skills: strength, speed, endurance. What a pain. I'm probably gonna get stuck with—_

"Midoriya, Hotaru, you're with Tiger."

_Fuck._ I was right to complain too. Between trying to quell the awkward atmosphere between myself and Midoriya, _and_ trying to hit and dodge Tiger's attacks, I was in quite the pickle. _Plus, I've been trying to figure out what to do later. There's no way I can help Ragdoll. It'd require isolating myself with an opponent far past my skill level. Can't help Bakugou either, as much as I'd want to. His capture gets everything pushed one step further. They start taking things more seriously. I can try and help Midoriya, but he needs to learn to break past his limits… Perhaps… Tokoyami? Don't know how much help I'll be, but—_My thoughts were cut off as Tiger punched me hard across the face, making me stumble with a growl.

"You're distracted! Stop thinking and fight to your full potential, Hotaru!"

"Fuck you."

"Language!" He chided, throwing another punch that I easily dodged, twisting and slamming an elbow into his chin.

Or so I thought, but he was fast and caught it with a smirk.

"Nice try, reading your opponent's move, but you're not packing enough power into your hits. A villain won't be knocked down so easily."

"Annoying cat," I growled, swinging my legs up to hit him across the face as our training continued.

It couldn't end fast enough, though I still wanted to hit something when we returned to discover we had to cook and prepare our own food. I chose not to join the others however, grabbing a bowl of rice and some vegetables before heading out on my own.

"_A villain won't be knocked down so easily."_

"_Clever as always."_

I grit my teeth, biting down on a carrot angrily. _Being clever isn't going to help anymore. My Quirk's practically useless with its limitations. I couldn't do a damn thing before, with Shigaraki. I can't go around having Midoriya jumping in to save me every time. Even with the Hero Killer…_

"Dammit," I bit out, finding a secluded area overlooking the forest where I ate my food.

Soon as I was done, I took off my hoodie and began training once more in a tank top and shorts—punching, kicking and dodging imaginary foes.

"The hell are you doing?"

I didn't even pause my movements as I spared the annoyed Kota a glance. "Training, obviously, brat."

He bristled. "This is my spot."

"That's nice. Don't see your name on it, and I like the view, so…" I did a roundhouse kick, spinning back kick, then twisted for a final flying back kick. "I'm not leaving."

"F-Fine! Like I care!" He snapped, sitting on the ground a way away.

_You obviously care or you wouldn't have tried to get me to leave,_ I mused with a sigh as I continued my imaginary spar session and slipped into strength exercises. I grimaced as sweat dripped up my face, forcing myself to keep breathing at a steady pace as I slowly put my left arm out to leave me in a one-handed handstand. _Now, if I could do pushups like this, I'd be thrilled._ For now, though, I focused on just keeping my balance and breathing evenly as I switched to my other arm and eventually started two-handed handstand pushups.

"Why are you trying so hard anyway," Kota huffed, as I curled my knees toward my face and slowly stretched my legs horizontally, wincing as muscles pulled tight trying to upset my breathing pattern. "You're just going to go out there and die."

"Perhaps," I hummed, letting out a breath through my mouth and held my position—looking at him. "I don't care, to be honest. Never wanted to be a hero in the first place."

Kota sputtered. "Y-You don't care if you die? What kind of hero are you? A-And if you don't want to be a hero, then why—"

"Why am I here trying so hard?" I asked for him, twisting and bringing my legs above me, reaching out and touching my shoe. "Initially, because I owed Aizawa for getting me into the school. Now, I do it to keep my friends safe."

"If they're going to be real heroes, then they need to take care of themselves."

"Sure, but can't always do that without help and my Quirk's not that great anyway. I've got nothing better to do, so why not be useful to others?"

"But—"

"That's not true."

Kota and I both spotted Midoriya with a couple of plates of curry.

"Your Quirk is amazing, Hotaru, a-and you figure out so much. You've saved us so many times. There's more to life than just trying to be useful!"

I blinked, slowly putting my feet back on the ground and standing upright, pulling up my shirt collar to wipe some sweat off my cheek. "I suppose so. I'm still figuring it out."

"A-And don't be so willing to die!" He shouted, moving towards me rather upset. "You're important to all of Class A, Hotaru! If you went and did something stupid… I-If you die, I… I wouldn't know what to do."

_**I **__don't know what to do._ "Um… I'll, uh… do my best? To not die, I mean. I, um… I'm sorry I worried you, Midoriya."

He nodded, then eyed me up and down quizzically. "Were you just… training?"

I hummed, taking one of the two curry plates he had and starting to eat. "Mm, might as well. My Quirk's not the type to be upgradable, so I have to rely on my own personal strength. And I'm a bit behind in that department."

"I-I don't think so! You're really strong and with your intelligence, you—"

"Hey!" Kota snapped. "How long are you going to ignore me? And how did you know we were here?"

"Oh, sorry," Midoriya apologized. "I followed your footprints. Thought you might want some food."

"Nope. Don't want it. Like I said, I don't feel like fraternizing with you people. So, both of you get away from my secret base."

"Secret base, huh?"

I leaned over toward Midoriya. "He's just being mopey. He was fraternizing with me until you showed up."

"Was not!" He argued. "You were the one who kept talking!"

"Cos you were being nosy, Mr. Conversationalist."

He growled. "Improving Quirks, stretching them to the limit, all so gross. Flaunting your power like that."

I raised a brow. "Haven't used mine once."

"Wasn't talking to you!"

_Does this mean he likes me? Or, well, tolerate me at least. _I shrugged, eating more curry as Midoriya connected the dots.

"Your parents… By chance is one of them Water Hose, the hero with the water Quirk?"

Kota whipped around angrily. "Did Mandalay tell you!"

"Oh, no. I mean, sorry. We were just talking and from the conversation, I-I thought that might be it. It was unfortunate, what happened. I remember it."

"Shut up. You're all freaking nuts," Kota snapped at him. "Calling yourselves 'heroes' or 'villains' and going around killing each other like idiots. Talking about your Quirks all the time… all just to show off, idiots."

Midoriya frowned, troubled as he looked to the ground. _I'd say something but I'd be a hypocrite if I did. What Kota's saying makes sense._

"What's your problem? If you're done here, then get out!"

"It's just… um… uh…" Midoriya stumbled over his words. "A friend… A friend of mine! He… didn't inherit any Quirks from his parents."

"Huh?"

"Shut up and listen, brat," I huffed, sitting on the ground and pointing my spoon at him. "Ya might learn something."

"It's a birth defect that rarely happens."

_Defect… Can't believe it used to be the other way around in this world. How depressing._

"He still admired heroes, though. But in our society, someone without a Quirk can't be a hero."

_Yet another lie spread by this place. You don't need superpowers to be a hero. Midoriya proved that the first time All Might saw him._

"For a while, he just couldn't accept the truth. So, he trained. He tried pulling objects telepathically. He tried breathing fire… Everyone views Quirks differently. Nothing about this is absolute, but if you keep rejecting everything, you're only going to cause yourself more pain. Um, so…"

"You don't know when to shut up!" Kota shouted. "Just go!"

Midoriya bowed his head, placing the curry down and giving me a small look. I nodded, letting him know I'd go. _I just need a minute._

"You too! Go away!" Kota snapped at me as I stood, tucking a hand into my pocket and giving him a look.

"What if it was a gift?"

"W-What?"

"Your Quirk," I clarified. "What if it was a gift given to you by someone. Parents or otherwise."

He frowned. "You can't _give_ people Quirks, idiot."

I rolled my eyes. "Just think about it. What would you do then? If it were you, someone who's mad at the world, what would you do if someone gave you a Quirk? Big smile on their face, wrapped it up like a present, whatever."

"You're nuts."

"Would you hide it?" I asked, taking note of how he'd stiffened. _Probably because he's hiding his own Quirk. _"Would you tuck yourself away and never use it because you hate Quirks and heroes and everything else? Even though someone _gave_ you that gift and it would disappoint them seeing it go to waste?"

"What does that matter? I never wanted it in the first place," he murmured, unknowingly giving himself away.

"It matters because there're people out there like Midoriya's friend. People who are bullied, killed even, because they're born without one and here you are, letting it go to waste."

He whipped around with a glare, but I continued before he could butt in.

"_And_, the person who gave it to you did so because they saw something in you. If Midoriya got the gift of a Quirk, you know what he would do? He would train as damn hard as he can for the person who gave it to him. He would go out of his way to be the best, to make them proud and to prove to himself that he was just as good as anybody else. _Regardless _of what anyone said and not caring that he had been Quirkless up until then." I gave Kota a small glare of my own. "And that's what it means to be a real damn hero. Someone who works hard for others, whether they have a Quirk or not. So, don't expect me to stand by and let you tear Midoriya down because he's a better damn hero than you'll ever be, especially if you're too caught up in your grief to do anything other than picking fights and cry about it."

"W-What do you know!"

I shifted, startling him. "I know what it's like to live out in the real world with _nothing_, having to claw my way up to _be_ something. And sooner or later, you'll learn to respect that, because you're not the only one who's been dealt a shit hand, brat."

And with a huff, I turned to head back into the forest to catch up with Midoriya; angry and frustrated with the ignorant brat putting down anyone trying to help.

* * *

Night fell and the test of courage was soon underway.

"Banquet of darkness."

Midoriya blinked at Tokoyami and the yawning Hotaru beside him with Shoji—the only group of three. _Did she not sleep well? Perhaps she was up training late again, but… she looks a little on edge._ Before he could question her though, the four Pussycats started explaining the rules.

"The scarers aren't allowed to make direct contact. They'll just be using their Quirks to startle you as best they can. So, get creative! Whichever class makes the other wet their pants more, wins!"

"Hm?"

Midoriya and the others turned to Hotaru, who had raised her hand.

"Where are you going to be?"

"Here," Mandalay replied. "Ragdoll will move to the turnaround point at the end of the route.

_Why would she ask that? _Midoriya wondered. _She doesn't seem bothered by what we're doing, but she's distracted somehow._ Her, Tokoyami, and Shoji headed out as the first group and Midoriya continued to ponder her change of attitude from yesterday to today. _She wasn't training as hard this morning and was in a daze during dinner too. _Team five went into the forest and it wasn't a minute later that two men flew out, easily taking down Pixie-Bob and making Midoriya's pondering come to a halt. _She… knew?_

* * *

It didn't take long for things to go to shit and as I dodged a swipe from Dark Shadow, all I could think about were those I was failing to help. _Ragdoll's screwed. Bakugou's screwed. Midoriya is going to get beaten to a pulp. More students are going to get hurt, but we're too spread out. I can't help them all._ I grimaced as I landed, bringing a hand up to the deep cut on my upper right arm from when Dark Shadow had first lost it. _Shoji isn't hurt, but it doesn't matter unless I can get him out of here and get Dark Shadow moving towards the other villains._

"_Class A and B, you have permission to engage the enemy!_" Mandalay's telepathy rang out. "_Two of the villain's targets have been identified!_"

_Two? _I thought in confusion as Shoji popped up beside me.

"_It's the students known as Kacchan and Hotaru!_"

"The fuck?" I breathed. _Did I really make that big of an impression on Shigaraki? Shit. That's not good. But right now, I'm safe. So long as I'm by Dark Shadow._

"_Kacchan and Hotaru need to avoid battle and don't make any move alone! Everyone get that? Kacchan! Hotaru!_"

"Yeah, shut up. Bit busy," I muttered, not taking my eyes off Dark Shadow. "Shoji, can you locate the nearest team and the villain they're fighting?"

He nodded but eyed me warily. "You're not going to head back to camp? They're after you."

"I'm safer with Dark Shadow on a rampage than trying to get back on my own." I shot him a look. "And I'm not about to abandon him."

Shoji cracked a small smile—_I'm assuming_—and allowed his bat-like appendages to search around.

"We're close to where the Pussycats are fighting two villains and where Bakugou and Todoroki are fighting one. Next closest is Uraraka and Asui, fighting one."

I cursed under my breath. "Pussycats are fine, but two targets in one place sounds like a bad idea."

"What are you planning?"

"I—"

We both hastily dodged Dark Shadow's claws and I shouted across the clearing, knowing I had to get my point across.

"Bait him to another team! Hate to say it, but Hot-Head's our best option! Whoa!"

"Hotaru!"

Pain filled my chest as I was hit hard and knocked backward. Hastily, I twisted and hit the nearest tree with my feet, bending my legs to act as shock absorbers. Tingling raced up my legs and spine, something causing a sharp pain in my right knee. I had no time to think as Dark Shadow attacked again, my wheezing to catch my breath having drawn his attention back over. _I can try changing. Smaller target is harder to hit, but Dark Shadow's size makes that near impossible. My only other option is… stealth._

"I'm gonna regret this," I murmured. _But if I'm lucky, the villains won't know it's me. Worth a shot._

I jumped into the trees, dodging another strike and changing in the process. Large paws gripped the bigger branches easily and silently. Even when I hit the ground in a crouch, I barely made a sound. _Perfect. Not too big to slow my speed, not too small. Now, to find Shoji again. _Using my nose and keeping low to the ground, I moved as stealthily as a mountain lion could, avoiding bushes, sticks, or leaves on the ground. What I found though, was _not_ Shoji.

"Move, Midoriya!"

"Huh?"

I jumped, grabbing him by the pants and allowing us to both dodge the incoming claw of Dark Shadow. Shoji must've been nearby and joined us, silencing Midoriya before he could speak and get us caught again.

"S-Shoji? Hotaru?"

"Those wounds… you shouldn't be moving around in that state," Shoji scolded him. "Running around trying to save everyone? You're full of surprises."

"Just now, was that…"

"Yup. It was a sneak attack from a villain. We were able to dodge the hit thanks to Hotaru, but it ended up triggering his Quirk, even though he tried to control it. It only got worse when Dark Shadow nicked Hotaru's arm."

Midoriya gave me a worried look, but I didn't take my eyes off Tokoyami.

"If you wanna pass through here, he's the first problem we've gotta deal with," Shoji explained as Tokoyami shouted at us.

"Get… away from me! I'll kill you!"

Shoji picked Midoriya up as we dodged again, ducking behind a tree.

"Midoriya, I have a plan, but it's not the safest in any way," I whispered.

"W-What's your idea?"

My yellow eyes shifted to him. "Lead him to Bakugou. He attacks sounds. We make enough noise, he should follow. We can borrow Dark Shadow to take down their villain, then Hot-Head and Todoroki can use their Quirks to calm him down."

Midoriya gaped. "You… Doing that could save everyone. It'll help Tokoyami a-and put you and Bakugou in a group, making it harder for you both to get caught. Hotaru, that's brilliant!"

I shot him a glare as Dark Shadow destroyed our cover, forcing us to move. "Then, let's get going. Shoji, you and Midoriya lead the way." I shifted again, stretching out my wings and turning towards Dark Shadow. "I'll get his attention and follow."

"But Hotaru—"

"We need Shoji's eyes and you're in no shape to deal with him. Besides, last I checked, Bakugou said I'm the most annoying person in our class." I cracked a smirk. "Gotta live up to my title. Now, go. I'll be right behind you."

"Be careful."

"Peregrine falcons have great aerial maneuvers and speed," I hummed, being reminded of the hours of animal studies Orca made me do. "I've got this." I flew up and zoomed swiftly towards Tokoyami. "Yo, Bird-Brain! Catch me if you can!"

* * *

Midoriya couldn't help but wonder if Hotaru was having more fun than she should, considering the situation. He and Shoji were running for their lives as Dark Shadow roared behind them—Hotaru doing twists and dives as she shouted bad bird puns back at the sentient Quirk.

"Oh, man! Toucan play at this game! Get it? _Toucan_? Oh, come on! Don't make things _hawk_-ward!"

Midoriya sweatdropped. _I'd be trying to hit her for those puns too, honestly._ Just then, they broke into a small clearing and Shoji called out.

"Bakugou! Todoroki! One of you, please! Give us some light!"

The villain had attempted to use his teeth as blades to go after them but paused as something landed on his head.

"Oh, hello. Hope you don't mind. I'll be gone in a second." Hotaru grinned, flying off just as Dark Shadow's large hand slammed into the villain.

He continued to attack, swiping at Shoji and Hotaru, making Todoroki eye him.

"Attacking indiscriminately? A good fire should—"

"Wait, moron," Bakugou stopped him. "Hotaru's playing bait. Look."

Sure enough, Hotaru was making all sorts of noise, hovering over the villain and drawing Dark Shadow's attacks towards him. It was only after the villain was defeated that Bakugou and Todoroki dashed in with their flames and calmed Dark Shadow down.

"Thank you," Tokoyami breathed out. "I'm saved."

"We were struggling just to survive against that guy, but in an instant, you…"

"You okay, Tokoyami?" Shoji asked. "Good job following us."

"Shoji, Hotaru, I'm sorry. You too, Midoriya… My spirit is lacking."

Hotaru flew down and lightly landed on his shoulder, jabbing at his feathered head with her beak. "Hey, now, Bird-Brain. Stop with the wallowing. I doubt you're the only one who's Quirk gets a little out of hand."

"But the moment you got hurt, I gave in to the rage and unleashed Dark Shadow. It was the deep darkness of the night, along with my own anger and guilt. They combined to spur him along into a frenzy, but then he grew beyond my control and wound up injuring you further… 'Save that for later,' I know that's what you'd say, Shoji…" Tokoyami grimaced as a clawed foot prodded at his head.

"Oi, oi. What'd I say? No need to be emo, Prince of Darkness. Just promise to work more on controlling him. That's all we want. Now, you know what you need to work on. It's a learning experience!" She said, throwing her wings out and making him sigh with a small smile.

"Yes. Yes, I suppose you're right. I will do my utmost to work on improving my control on Dark Shadow in even the poorest of conditions… Thank you, Hotaru."

"Yeah, well, we've got bigger problems to deal with."

Midoriya nodded. "Right! We know that two of the villain's main targets are Kacchan and you, Hotaru."

"They're after them? But why?"

"Who knows," Hotaru grumbled, preening her feathers. "But I doubt it's to kill us. They could have done that without all this. Villains are weird."

No one wanted to mention that she was the weirdest of them all.

"A-At any rate, Vlad King and Aizawa-sensei are both back at camp. Having two pro heroes there probably makes it the safest spot around."

"I see," Tokoyami hummed. "So, our mission is to safely deliver Bakugou and Hotaru back to camp."

"But last I saw; the Pussycats were fighting villains in the clearing. We're sure to get spotted by those villains and lose time if we take the path, so let's cut through."

Hotaru sighed and flew over to Bakugou, landing on his head and leaning forward to peer down at him as the others discussed the plan.

"They talk too much, don't you think?"

"Shut up, mutt. I'm trying to listen."

"Shocking," she scoffed. "We're going to walk in the middle of the group and head straight through the forest, taking the most direct route to the camp. What's there to figure out? They want to protect us."

"What the hell is this about!" He shouted. "No one's protecting me, you dweebs!"

"Oh, come on, Hot-Head! Think of it this way. No villain would expect you to be in the middle of the group, so you can get a good attack in if anything were to happen," Hotaru explained with fluttering wings.

The group watched Bakugou pause, thinking about it before a grin spread across his face and he held up a sparking fist.

"All right! You hear that, morons? _I'm_ protecting_ you_!"

The group all gave Hotaru a look, but she played innocent despite their conclusion. _She knows exactly how to play him._ They all headed out though, hiking carefully through the woods as Hotaru took to the sky. Midoriya was against it, but her argument had been sound. What villain would look at the bird and know it was her? So, they let her fly and keep an eye out from above while Shoji watched from below. They made good time too and soon came upon Asui and Uraraka.

"Come with us!" Midoriya encouraged. "We're guarding Hotaru and Kacchan, and heading for camp."

"Huh?"

"Guarding them? Then, where are they?"

"Huh? What do you mean? They're right behind us…" Midoriya paled though as the group looked back to find an empty forest.

"Looking for _him?_" A villain spoke up, standing on a tree branch with a cane and holding two small marbles. "I've taken him with my magic. He's not a resource that belongs on the heroes' side. We're going to put him on a stage where he can really shine."

"Wha—Give him back!"

"'Give him back?'" The man questioned. "What an odd thing to say. Bakugou doesn't _belong_ to anyone. He's his own man, you egoist!"

"Give him back!" Midoriya repeated, Todoroki using his ice to launch an attack, but the magician dodged.

"We're just a bit fanatical when it comes to our values. All kids today, you have your values chosen for you."

"It's not just Bakugou, Tokoyami's gone too and I don't see Hotaru."

Todoroki grit his teeth. "There was no need to even confront us. He's mocking us."

"Sorry for my bad habit. I'm an entertainer at heart," the magician apologized, rolling a marble in his hand. "Taking Tokoyami was just a bit of adlibbing. Though, I'm curious. I didn't see Hotaru, which is a shame. We'd like to talk with her as well."

"You can't have them, you jerk!" Midoriya snapped, Shoji trying to calm him down.

"He doesn't have Hotaru, so she's safe at least," he whispered. "And she wouldn't just up and leave."

Midoriya grit his teeth but calmed slightly as Todoroki went after the villain.

"Sorry, but deception and running away are actually my only specialties," the magician hummed, nimbly dodging the ice. "I can't go toe-to-toe with heroes in training." He reached up to an earpiece. "Vanguard action squad! One target has been successfully captured! There's been no sign of the other. So short though it was, our mission has come to an end! As planned, be at the evacuation point within five minutes of this transmission!"

"They're done?"

"No way!"

Todoroki continued to attack. "Not gonna happen! You're not getting away!"

His ice couldn't keep up though, and even on foot, they were losing ground.

"Sheesh, that masked guy's quick."

"If only we had Iida…"

"We can't give up…" Midoriya panted out, body throbbing. "Gotta catch up… and get them back!"

"But we're eating his dust at this rate," Shoji argued, but Midoriya had a plan.

"Uraraka, make us float, quickly! And then, Asui, throw us with your tongue as hard as you can. With as much strength as one of my punches! Make us fly! Shoji, you can correct our course with your arms in midair. Tow us along behind you! Keep an eye on us, Uraraka. When it looks like we've closed the gap, release us!"

"I see. Kinda like human cannonballs."

Uraraka was hesitant though. "Hold on, Deku. Can you even move with those wounds?"

Todoroki agreed. "You stay behind. You're in too much pain to—"

"Forget the pain. I can move. Quickly, now!"

Uraraka finally agreed only after splitting his arms and soon he, Todoroki and Shoji were flying towards the magician. They hit the ground hard, but the other villains were in the clearing.

"Mister, dodge," Dabi said, raising a hand and throwing out flames to knock them off the magician.

Toga went after Midoriya and pinned him, while the others were dodging attacks of their own. The magician though, headed for Dabi with a sigh of relief.

"Ouch. To think they'd chase us by air! What a flight of fancy."

"You got Bakugou?"

"Naturally," he replied, searching his pocket, but Shoji held the two marbles they'd taken.

"Shoji!"

"Ho, ho! Well done, indeed. So quickly too. There's no finer pickpocket than one with six arms, I suppose."

"Great, we're done here!" Todoroki replied, making a break for it.

"You fool!" Dabi snapped, but the magician stopped him as a familiar black shadow got in their way.

The villains started to slip away and Dabi hesitated until the magician explained.

"Yes. As you appear so pleased with yourselves as to want to cut and run, let me give you a little reward. It's a bad habit of mine. One of the fundamentals of magic states that flaunting a particular object is inevitably part of the trick." He took off his mask to reveal the two _real_ marbles on his tongue. Just as he was making to leave though, a sparkling blast flew from the bushes, breaking his mask and causing him to spit out the marbles.

Everyone jumped forward, using Aoyama's opening to try and grab them. Shoji got one, but Dabi grabbed the other before Todoroki could.

"How sad for you, Shoto Todoroki." He looked to the magician only for one last surprise.

A blur of brown flew out, grabbing the marble in Dabi's hand. The barn owl threw it towards Midoriya just as a hand wrapped around its neck.

"Hotaru!"

Dabi's anger turned into a grin as he and Hotaru started to slip away. "Got one. Release the others."

Todoroki and Bakugou were let out of the marbles as Midoriya tumbled to the ground before the warp gate.

"Don't do anything stupid for me, Midoriya!" Hotaru snapped at him as she struggled and flapped. "And tell the teachers to keep quiet about me! So, don't be reckless! _Don't come after me, Midoriya!_ I'll fucking kill you if you do! I-I mean it!"

And then, the warp gates were gone.

"Hotaru!"


	10. Chapter 10

The teachers and Nezu started their meeting, ignoring the swarm of newscasters outside U.A.'s gates.

"This whole 'villain revival…' We took it too lightly. They've already begun _their_ war, the war to destroy hero society. Even if we'd taken it more seriously, could we have prevented this relentless flurry of attacks?" Midnight asked. "Most organized crime has been eliminated since the rise of All Might, so all that's left is the best of the worst."

"Basically, we got too complacent in this peaceful era. Otherwise, there'd be no _need_ for preparation when we realized what was happening."

All Might looked defeated. "I'm just mad about how useless I was. I was relaxing in the bath while they were out there fighting for their lives! Hotaru had even _warned_ us of this. She questioned the lack of security, us not taking them seriously and look what happened. She was right on every account."

Sniper nodded. "I reckon we can't pretend to be undaunted no longer, like how we went and held the Sport's Festival just after that other attack. Lettin' a student get wrangled is one serious failure for U.A. Wasn't just Hotaru those varmints stole. They took away the public's trust in us heroes."

"Another thing Hotaru told us…" All Might mumbled, sinking lower in his chair.

"We were lucky though," Nezu hummed. "One of Hotaru's last words were to keep her kidnapping a secret. The students already agreed, and the media hasn't found out. Not to sound inconsiderate, but her being taken instead of Bakugou is almost a blessing in disguise. Things could be much worse if people knew we let a student get caught by a group of villains. The lack of parental guardians breathing down our neck is helpful too. This is a better situation than it could have been, and we owe that to Hotaru. It _is_ quite possible that she recognized the dangers of Bakugou's situation and took his place to help us all."

"She's dangerously intelligent," All Might muttered. "While I don't think she would be tricked into villainy so easily, she's seen a world none of the other students have. She's already questioning society and its rules, and still has no solid grounding tying her to be a hero."

"You don't trust her?" Midnight questioned.

"I can't trust that nothing they say will affect her. Even if she returns, the cogs will have already started turning." All Might looked at everyone seriously. "Unlike many of the other students here, she has no tie to me or what I stand for. This would have made it more difficult to turn, say Bakugou to the villain's side. Without it, it's a lot easier. I'm just saying that we shouldn't set that possibility aside, despite our personal feelings."

"Speaking of lost trust, this seems like the right time to bring something up," Present Mic said, uncharacteristically serious. "It's absolutely clear at this point; we have a mole."

* * *

Midoriya stared around the hospital room in a daze, thinking about nothing and everything.

"_Don't come after me, Midoriya!"_

The door clicked open, drawing his gaze to the crowd of Class 1-A students.

"You see what's on TV?" Kaminari asked. "The media's all over the school. Even worse than back in spring."

"I caused so much trouble for you, Midoriya," Tokoyami apologized as Mineta waved around a melon.

"Nah… I'm the one who should be sorry," Midoriya muttered, looking around. "Is everyone from Class A here?"

"No," Iida answered. "Jiro and Hagakure are still unconscious ever since being knocked out by that gas. And Yayorozu received a terrible head wound. She's here at the hospital. Apparently, she only just regained consciousness yesterday. So besides three…"

"All fifteen of us came," Uraraka finished.

"Of course, Hotaru's not here."

"Whoa, Todoroki…" Ashido warned at his bluntness.

"We haven't seen Bakugou either," Shoji added as Midoriya started to tear up.

"Recently… All Might told me something. About how sometimes we just can't reach some people who need saving… So, we've gotta do our best to save those we _can_ reach… But I… _could_ reach her. All I had to do was save Kacchan. My Quirk… is built just for that… but then it turned out like Aizawa-sensei said it would… I… couldn't move my body… and Hotaru flew in a-and saved him for me, only to get caught herself."

"Then, let's go save her now," Kirishima said bluntly.

"_Huh?_"

"Todoroki and I… we actually came by yesterday. Then, we ran into All Might and the police. They were talking to Yayorozu about a tracker they stuck to a Nomu and a receiver she made to track the signal."

"So, you're saying that Yayorozu…" Iida breathed out. "…could make another signal device for us? No! It's just as All Might said. We ought to leave this matter to the pros! It's not our place to interfere, you fool!"

"You think I don't know that!" Kirishima snapped back at him. "But still! I couldn't do anything! When I heard they were after my friends, I couldn't so anything! _Didn't_ do anything and Hotaru saved Bakugou at the risk of herself! If I don't act now, forget being a hero. I'm not even a man!"

"Calm down, Kirishima," Kaminari shushed him. "We get that you're a hothead, but in this case—"

"Iida is correct," Asui agreed.

"I know he's right! You all are, but—Hey, Midoriya! She's not beyond our reach just yet!"

Midoriya hesitated.

"_Don't do anything stupid for me, Midoriya!"_

"So, you're gonna get this signal tracker thing from Yaomomo ad follow it to go save Hotaru by yourselves?" Ashido questioned.

"The villains _did_ say we were on their hit list, but then they took Hotaru alive, as she said. Still, we can't be sure they won't kill her," Todoroki explained. "Kirishima and I will go."

"You have to be joking!" Iida shouted.

"Hang on, calm down," Shoji said. "I get it. Kirishima's pain over not being able to do anything, and Todoroki's regrets over having Hotaru get snatched away before his eyes. I regret it all, too. Still, this is no time to let our emotions get the better of us."

"Let's just leave it to All Might," Aoyama quivered. "Besides, we're not allowed to fight anymore."

"It's just as Aoyama says. Though, I'm hardly one to talk, after having just been saved myself thanks to Hotaru."

Asui agreed. "We're all still in shock over Hotaru's kidnapping, so we have to think about this calmly. It doesn't matter how righteous our feelings are. If we start another fight after the teachers told us not to even mention her missing… If we break the law, then we're no better than the villains!"

The room went quiet and the doctor came in, sending everyone out, but not before Iida overheard Kirishima speaking with Midoriya.

"I talked to Yayorozu yesterday. If we're going, it has to be soon… tonight. I'm not sure if you can even move in your condition, but you're still welcome to join us because I'm betting this is hurting you and Bakugou more than the rest of us.

"Kacchan?"

Kirishima nodded. "I didn't tell him about this, but when I visited his place… well, all he did was curse and complain about what she did. It might not sound like much, but… I've never seen him so worked up. If I thought he could keep his cool, I would have told him… But anyway, we'll be waiting outside the hospital tonight."

Midoriya nodded as he left, knowing he had a lot to think about.

"_Don't be reckless! Don't come after me, Midoriya!"_

* * *

Todoroki, Kirishima, Midoriya, and Yayorozu met up outside the hospital, bodies tense.

"What do you say, Yayorozu?"

"I—"

"Wait!"

All eyes went to Iida as he stormed over.

"Of all people, you guys should know better!" he clenched his fists. "When my brother was attacked, all I wanted to do was go get revenge for what Stain had done. I had been lucky my brother hadn't been killed thanks to an anonymous tip, but I wanted to make sure the Hero Killer would never hurt anyone again, even if it meant risking my life. Why are you about to commit the same blunder I almost did? Don't you know who stopped me? It was Hotaru! _She_ told me how reckless and stupid I was being! She reminded me that I had people who would be devastated if something went wrong, if I got hurt. She wouldn't want this! Who's going to take responsibility for your actions?"

"That's not how it is, Iida!" Midoriya stepped forward. "Nobody said we're gonna break any laws—"

Iida punched Midoriya, yelling. "I have regrets too, and of course I'm worried! I'm your class president! Naturally, I worry about my classmates and not just Hotaru! Seeing you hurt earlier reminded me of my injured brother! What happens when your little vigilante act takes you somewhere there's no coming back from! Hotaru saved me and my brother. I owe her my _life_! I want to go after her just as much as you, but she taught me that I need to worry about _my_ life as well. Just as you need to worry about yours. Are you saying you don't give a damn? Are you saying you don't care about hos _she'd_ feel if you got hurt or killed trying to save her?"

"Iida," Todoroki called out. "You don't seriously think we're planning to smash down the door, guns blazing, do you?"

Kirishima nodded. "I didn't tell Bakugou about this because we're getting her back _without _fighting. It's gonna be a covert mission! That's how we heroes in training can fight on the right side of the law!"

"I trust you, Todoroki," Yayorozu said. "But worse comes to worst, I should be there as backup, which is why I'm coming too."

"Yayorozu!"

Midoriya spoke up next. "I'm not really sure I get it, but the thought that we can still reach her… I just can't sit around doing nothing. I need to go save her!"

"There's no swaying you," Iida sighed. "In that case, take me with you. I owe Hotaru everything and as class president, I will take responsibility in ensuring everyone's safety because Hotaru would want that, I believe."

And it was agreed on, the group making their way to the villain hideout to get back their friend.

* * *

"Let's get down to business, wanna-be-hero Hotaru Mirai. Won't you join me?"

I blinked slowly at Shigaraki, somehow eerily calm despite being surrounded by villains as the TV buzzed in the background. _On the plus side, it's not gotten out that I was taken. Thank God Midoriya passed that on. I owe U.A. enough. Adding more trouble to that is a pain._

"Pretty weird if you ask me," Shigaraki commented as Nezu and Aizawa were being drilled by the press. "Why're they criticizing the heroes, huh? Their only crime was doing too little too late! It's their job to protect people, but anyone can screw up now and then, right? Why're people expecting them to be perfect? Heroes today sure have it rough, I'd say. Am I right, Hotaru?"

I said nothing, having told them from the start that I wouldn't speak until I was unstrapped from the chair I was stuck in.

"The minute that protecting people started coming with a paycheck, heroes stopped being heroes," the lizard—Spinner—said. "This is what Stain has taught us."

"Save someone and you get money. You get fame. Sounds weird to me," Shigaraki hummed. "And in this society, where the rules are everything, the people aren't cheering for the losers, telling them to fight another day. They're blaming them. Our war is based on a few simple questions. What is a hero? What is justice? Is this what society's really supposed to be like? Once we get people thinking about this stuff, that's when we've won. Surely, you understand this."

Again, I blinked slowly, and he soon gave in, waving a hand at me.

"Dabi, untie her."

"Huh? She'll go wild for sure."

"She's not the type," he concluded. "And we're going to treat her as an equal. We're scouting her, after all."

"Twice, you do it."

"Huh? Me?"

He begrudgingly did so, and I rubbed my wrists as the magician fellow—Compress—apologized.

"We apologize for the rather forceful measures taken to get you here… and yet, we need you to understand that we're no mere thugs working in the name of mindless evil. Not in the least. Everyone here has a different story to tell, but we've all suffered thanks to other people. Thanks to rules. Thanks to heroes. We've felt suffocated. You and Bakugou more than anyone should—"

"Oi, Hand-Face." I turned to Shigaraki, who had stepped toward me. "Back the fuck up."

He stopped moving forward and I raised a brow until he slowly took a step back.

"Good, now listen, cos ya'll talk too much," I complained. "You're lucky I took Bakugou's place because the one thing he can't stand is long-winded, complex conversations about society and theories. Philosophies, laws, and whatever else. _He_ would have attacked you the moment you unstrapped him and nothing you would have said, would have made a dent in his thick skull. Instead, you have me. Less crazy explosions, and more calm and collected. Less… _stupid_ when it comes to the world and how it works. And unlike Bakugou, _I_ don't give a damn about All Might." I crossed my arms over my chest. "So, as long as it isn't _you_ speaking to me, Shigaraki, you all might have a chance at getting me to join you."

Shigaraki bristled. "_I_ can't talk to you?"

"No. You tried to strangle me last time and while _their_ motives are clear, I don't see a single thing connecting your actions to ideals. _That_ will be the only thing I'll let you explain. _Your_ motives."

"I've already—"

"No, you haven't. You said what your group's goal is and I get that. Some people get shit Quirks, some get Quirks that people can't see as being anything other than villain material, some get bullied or picked on until something finally _snaps_ and they get revenge only for society to label them as a villain for fighting back against the _real_ villains. I understand that. I _get_ that. Every society is fucked up in some way, and things just get more complicated when Quirks are involved. All I get from _you_ is All Might this, I hate All Might that." I dragged a hand down my face tiredly. "You questioned me before, about Stain and why people were only paying attention to him and not you.

"_He_ was right. _He_ was showing people the corruptness of the world. You? To the rest of the world, it just looks like you're attacking indiscriminately. Attacking for revenge on All Might for who knows _what_ reason and every villain does that. Stain was fighting to make a difference. You're just fighting to fight. So, if you're in charge of this group, then my answer is no. I'm not joining a group led by someone whose only plan is to carry out a revenge plot, thanks."

He pinned me with a heated glare of killing intent, sending my heart into my throat as I dug my nails into the meat of my arm to keep my hands from quivering. _He's not sane. I shouldn't be challenging him like this, but I can't help it. His goals just don't make sense, and what would I get out of this? I don't know these people like I know Midoriya and the others. And they're not exactly the smartest bunch either. Following Shigaraki who's obviously just using them? Trying to kidnap Bakugou who has strong feelings about All Might and has been worked through the system hating villains his whole life? Hell, their best shot at converting someone was me and they already fucked that up._

I winced when my nails scraped at the bandage around the cut on my arm, drawing blood. _Dammit, where's my rescue? Did it really take this long for Bakugou? Or… Or because it was me taken, leaving no one to demand my return… Maybe they aren't coming at all…_ The dark thought jabbed into my heart like a ragged, rusty blade and I grit my teeth as anger welled up in me, shoving aside any fear of my predicament. _That's the worst-case scenario. I need to keep that in mind like it's the __**only**__ scenario, which means I need to come up with a way out. Fast._

"I wish you would've listened," Shigaraki hummed. "I thought we might understand each other. What a shame. We all just heard about the heroes' investigation, so I can't waste much time trying to convince you. Master, lend me your power."

I huffed, standing up now and shifting into a defensive stance. "Yet another reason not to join. I don't like hierarchies, and anyone calling someone 'master' must not be worth his salt if he's willing to bow his head so easily."

"Kurogiri, Compress. Let's put her to sleep again."

Compress hesitated surprisingly, but that was forgotten when there were a couple of knocks on the door.

"Hello. Kamino Pizza Delivery."

_They actually came for me._ My heart soared as All Might suddenly launched himself through the wall to my left.

"What the—"

"Kurogiri, warp us!"

Kamui Woods flew in and grabbed everyone as Gran Torino knocked out Dabi.

"That's our young upstart, Kamui Woods! And the speediest old-timer out there, Gran Torino! There's no escape for you, League of Villains! Why you ask? Because we are here!"

If I wasn't quivering in place and unable to speak, I would've made a snide comment about the lame introductions, but All Might's gaze snapped to mine and silenced me.

"Must've been scary. Good job holding out! I'm sorry, but you're okay now, kid!"

"D-Don't call me kid, y-you overgrown action figure." I managed to stutter out as my adrenaline rush started to fade and flood my body with all the worries and fear I'd been hiding before.

"After all our scheming and plotting, the final boss goes and shows up on our doorstep," Shigaraki complained. "No use then. We're not the only ones you gotta worry about. Kurogiri, bring 'em all over to play!"

Nothing happened though and Kurogiri fidgeted.

"I'm sorry, Tomura Shigaraki, but the Nomu set aside for us… they're… gone."

"Looks like you've still got a lot to learn, Shigaraki!" All Might declared as he went to place a hand on my shoulder, which I nimbly dodged with a half-hearted glare. "Your little league has gone and taken some things too lightly, like this girl's indomitable spirit and the relentless police investigation, as well as our rage! Your mischief's gone on long enough. It ends here, Tomura Shigaraki!"

"'Ends here,' huh? Don't be stupid. It's only just starting. Justice this and peace that. All these vague things have kept a lid on our society's filthy underbelly. We're smashing through, All Might. I've already started finding allies. So, make no mistake, this is where it all begins. Kurogi—"

Kurogiri was knocked out by Edgeshot before he could do anything.

"I was able to make use of the weakness you and Bakugou once exposed," he told me, but I wasn't listening, eyes locked on the screen in the corner of the room.

"We… We need to go," I murmured, catching All Might's attention.

"Why? What is it?"

"He's watching," I hissed, his gaze following mine to the computer. "Their boss won't just leave them, and if it's him—" _It is. The Nomu are coming. All for One. _"He's at the other hideout. With the Nomu," I blurted out, whipping around to the shocked All Might and not caring that I may have just revealed what I knew.

"How did you—"

Before he could respond, Nomu began to appear as black ink swallowed me and the other villains.

"The Nomu warehouse!" I shouted at All Might. "Hurry!"

Ten, black ink splattered across the floor.

"No!"

* * *

I coughed hard, expelling whatever ink had managed its way into my mouth. "Ugh, what a nasty way of travel."

"Apologies, Hotaru."

My body went ramrod straight and a chill went down my spine as I looked up to see All for One staring me down. I didn't even turn as the other villains appeared, because this was different. He wasn't like Shigaraki. He was unpredictable, dangerous, _deadly_. I wasn't going to talk back like before; I don't even think I'd be able to. As it was, I was terrified. More than ever before. My legs were shaking, heart pounding, and it took everything in me to even take a small step away from him. _M-Movement draws attention. I need to get out of here, out of All Might's way, b-but I can't move._

"I knew you'd come," All for One hummed and I hastily used that cue to change; taking to the air as quickly as I could to avoid All Might's attack.

Just the wind from it sent my macaw-shaped body into the dirt not far away. I'd changed into a Siberian Tiger at the last moment, however, skidding as my claws dug into the soil. _Waste of a change, but Quirk activated on its own again. I need to calm down. I've got one, maybe two chances left, and I need to get away, __**now! **_I made to run, but another blast knocked me off my feet and I cringed as All for One sent All Might blasting away.

"You need to flee, Tomura, and take the girl with you. Kurogiri will help you escape."

My muscles coiled tightly as my gaze shifted back and forth between the villains and warp gate, and where All Might had been thrown away too. _All Might's Quirk has a limited time. I'm not sure if that gets shortened by him receiving injuries, but I can't risk him being distracted by my safety while fighting. _So, as All Might touched down again and went for All for One, I turned and started to flee. The villains had noticed though, but I knew I only had _one_ I really needed to be worried bout. _Can't let Compress touch me. I'm lucky though, I know most of their Quirk abilities. I just need to be careful._

I ducked and dodged, hitting Spinner across the face with my claws, blocking his vision and making him fall back. Compress reached for me, but I bounded off Twice and jumped on his back, sinking my teeth into his ankle. _Limit his mobility. The others are just a matter of dodging, minimal attacks and injuries, and getting the hell out of here._

"Hotaru!"

"Focus on All for One!" I shouted back at All Might, dodging Twice's weapon. "I've got this! You can't afford to be distracted! Take care of _him_!"

He hesitated, turning like he was going to ignore me, and I growled. Pushing my limits, I leaped at one of the villains, teeth tearing through their shoulder before I threw myself at another, pinning them to the floor.

"Fight, you idiot!" I snapped at All Might, ignoring the blood that dripped down my maw and that voice ringing in my head.

_You could kill them. Snap their necks. It's so easy like this. In this form. Their bones just snap. Your teeth slice like a hot knife through butter. Maybe you should join them. You don't look like a hero like this. Not with blood on your hands._

"Save the world before you care about someone like me! Stop getting distracted and fight! I'll stay out of your way! Now, go!"

He finally nodded and stopped fighting to get after me. I could tell he'd amped up his attacks too, but they still weren't his full potential. _More distance. I have to put more distance between us. I have to—Shit!_ Pain flashed across my face and I forced myself to push forward instead of away after the sword had sliced down the right side of my face. Grabbing Spinner's wrist in my jaws, I snapped the bones easily and threw him across the battlefield. _Shit, shit, shit. I can't see. Bastard got my eye. My right side is compromised. I need to compensate but overcompensation leads to predictability. But I have no choice!_

My dodged were getting sloppier. The villains were angry about their own injuries and retaliating harder, faster. A heavy hit to the ribs, a large gash on my back leg, a hard kick to my back. I was wearing down, growing more frantic. Then, an explosion.

An ice ramp formed, throwing familiar faces up over the battlefield. A hand reached out and bright red hair flickered into my vision.

"Come on!" Kirishima yelled and I cracked a grin as I leaped up.

Hands reached for me, but I changed yet again and flew up towards my classmates as a sparrow. Kirishima carefully wrapped his hand around my injured body as Mount Lady protected us from one final attack.

"Prioritize… the rescue. Go on… you dumb kids!"

Gran Torino jumped in as well, giving us the chance to escape without notice.

"You okay, Hotaru?" Kirishima asked, looking at me worriedly as I panted in his palm—the group of us now a safe distance away from the fight.

"D-Do I _look_ okay?"

He chuckled, using a finger to pet my head. "You sure sound like yourself."

I glared. "If I wasn't a sparrow, I'd bite your ass."

"Haha, you sound like Bakugou!"

"Don't compare me to Hot-Head!" I snapped before flapping at Midoriya. "And what did I tell you! I said don't be reckless and _don't_ come after me, Midoriya!"

"B-But you were in trouble after you helped Kacchan. I couldn't—"

"I helped him to keep you lot out o this mess!" I huffed, lowering my voice and relaxing as my injuries ached. "You've got family, you idiot. People who worry about big morons like you who go off and do reckless things. What would I tell them if you got hurt trying to help me?"

"But… we worry about you too," he replied. "Everyone in our class was worried. You shouldn't throw your life away just because you're convinced no one cares." He reached over and carefully took me from Kirishima. "_I_ care about what happens to you. Aren't _we_ your family?"

I stubbornly refused to look at him, hating the warmth flooding my chest at his words. _Dammit, Midoriya. Don't use that puppy-dog face on me. What the hell am I supposed to do after you say that?_

"Midoriya, if I knew something was going to happen and there was a chance I could do something about it, should I?"

He paused but nodded. "Yes, i-if it's something good. If you could save someone, then, yeah."

"Then, you're going to have to excuse me a moment. I've got a life to save."

He looked a little confused as I took off, ignoring the pain I was in as I hurried back to the battlefield. _All for One is dealing with All Might. Shigaraki is gone, so this is my chance to help. These idiot heroes just go all out in a city and tear down buildings recklessly. I can get that woman safe and give All Might the chance to retaliate properly. _I swooped over to the battlefield, diving low to where I saw the woman who was slowly starting to come back into consciousness. _Okay. Need something big enough to carry her, _I mused as I landed on the rubble and eyed the situation. _She's not pinned, structure is stable. I used three changes, but one was forced, and I feel like I've still got one in me. I've got this._

* * *

"There's a big one coming!" Gran Torino warned All Might, jumping off. "Dodge and counter-attack!"

"Dodge? Can you afford to?"

"You bet your ugly ass-face he can!"

All Might blinked as he spotted the mule with a woman on its back making a break for the edge of the battlefield. Even All for One hesitated, allowing Hotaru to run off just as he launched an attack with a roar.

"That damn brat!" He shouted, shifting his aim to where she'd retreated. "I'll take everything you've come to protect! Starting with her!"

"No!" Gran Torino tried to interfere but was blown away as All Might deflected the attack.

"You're right, she is a brat," All Might huffed, having lost his form and now standing as a slim-built blonde. "Doesn't know how to listen to anyone. Though, I suppose I owe her for this one. I only had to lightly deflect your attack, so I'm not as damaged as if I'd blocked it."

"It doesn't matter. I'll destroy it. First your image, which you've maintained despite your wound. Then, your pride. The world will see you for the pathetic man you are. The Symbol of Peace. Those hollow cheeks and sunken eyes. The top hero's looking a little worse for wear, I'd say. Aw, don't be ashamed. That's your _true form_, isn't it?"

All Might didn't look bothered. "My body may wither away. You might expose me to the world, but my spirit is what makes me the Symbol of Peace! You haven't stolen away one bit of that!"

"Wonderful! You're just like a stubborn child, but I've forgotten something. I wonder if _this_ is enough to break that spirit of yours, perhaps… Tomura Shigaraki is Nana Shimura's grandson and he's hated you this whole time. I've engineered these encounters between you two and you defeated him soundly. You won with a smile. So proud, despite your ignorance."

"You're lying."

"Nope. You know it to be true because it's just the kind of thing I'd do." All for One tugged at his face. "Huh? What's the matter, All Might? Where's that winning smile of yours?"

"How… _dare_… you…"

"Oh, what fun! Looks like I managed to steal that one bit away."

All Might's gaze snapped up at the sound, staring in shock as a huge golden eagle screeched and clawed at All for One. _Hotaru? No, it can't be. She's changed four times. She was at her limit._ The bird dodged an attack from All for One and dove for All Might, shocking him as it began to attack _him_.

"Ah! Stop it!"

"Stop? Are you stupid?" It screeched, plucking at his hair in annoyance. "You expect me to just sit back and watch you crumble? You idiot! You're All Might! You're the top hero everyone looks up to! People are _waiting_ for you! Are you just going to sit here crying because of some cheap villain mind game? You're a hero, dammit! Kick his ass and win already! This city needs you!"

All Might was quiet for a moment before suddenly charging his right arm with energy as Hotaru stopped clawing at his head, landing on his shoulder.

"But of course, young Hotaru. Indeed, there are plenty of things that heroes need to protect, All for One. That's why I can't lose!" He stood straighter, steadying himself. "Hotaru—"

"Yeah, yeah. Get out of the way. I'm going," she huffed, spreading her wings.

"Thank you."

She paused, but then huffed as she took off. "Don't start being nice to me now, you blow-up-doll of muscle. Just beat this guy already, and don't underestimate those around you. Even the number one hero needs to ask for help sometimes."

_She's being a hypocrite, but… she's changed._

"With all your might, let's put everything we've got into this last punch," All for One growled, hovering in the air. "Everything we've got, okay? Wounded heroes are always the scariest. After I ripped your guts out, the look on your face when you charged at me… I still see it in my nightmares sometimes. You'll probably give me a few more desperate punches, so I should prepare myself."

A fiery blast interrupted him, and eyes went to Endeavor as he roared.

"What's wrong with you, All Might!"

"They might've only been midlevel ones, but still. Cleaning up all those Nomu so quickly… Guess I should've expected no less from No. 2. You sure have climbed high."

"All Might, explain this pathetic state you're in!" Endeavor demanded, ignoring All for One.

"If you're just here to cheer him on, then I'll need you to be a good audience and sit down and shut up."

He was once again interrupted though, as Edgeshot slammed into him.

"Not so fast, you destroyer. We're here to do some saving!"

Kamui Woods slipped in with Tiger, grabbing the injured heroes and civilians.

"Even if this is all we can do, we'll do whatever we can to ease your burden," Tiger hummed, shocking All Might. "It's up to you, to stop this heartless villain, All Might! We're all rooting for you! No matter how you look, you're still our No. 1 hero! Everyone's resting all their hopes on your victory!"

Hotaru swooped down again, clawing at All Might's hair with a cheeky grin. "You heard him. Take him down."

"Oh, please," All for One boomed, shifting his arm into something more powerful and easily knocking a startled Hotaru out of the air.

"Hotaru!" All Might shouted in concern—Tiger rushing off to go get her as All for One complained.

"'Spirit' this, 'hope' that. Wake up. This is reality. In order to really kill you, I'll be hitting you with my ultimate Quirk combination. Here it comes… Izuku Midoriya. He was the recipient, right?" All for One said as he charged forward. "He came to you completely unqualified. He still can't even control it, can he? You've got plenty to regret as you die, All Might because you've also failed as a teacher!"

Debris flew up as they connected.

"That's right," All Might agreed, surprising him. "I've definitely fallen short as a teacher and I'm willing to accept that!"

"I see, pathetic. You would stoop this low and still struggle so unseeingly. I miscalculated."

All Might swung his other fist, connecting and hitting All for One hard.

"Petty tricks? How unlike you. Whose influence is that, I wonder? That pesky Hotaru's perhaps?" All for One retaliated in the same way. "Too weak."

"That's because I didn't put my back into it!" All Might shouted, punching All for One in the face with the last ounce of his strength.

The world went quiet as the dust settled and slowly, All Might rose a shaky fist to prove All for One's defeat, managing one last shift into his more powerful form.

* * *

I sat in the hospital bed, eyeing the restraints placed on my wrists as the chief of police rambled on and on about what I'd done. _Laws broke, people put in danger, returning despite a pro hero's order to leave, using my Quirk against villains without permission and with the intention to cause bodily harm._ I winced, shifting my position on the bed as my shoulder and ribs throbbed. Dark bags hung under my eyes and eating had once again become a struggle. All I could think about was his voice and the screams as—

_Teeth pierced through flesh, shattering bones…_

_Claws tore through skin like paper…_

"_I thought we might understand each other…"_

The breath that had caught in my throat was abruptly released as a rolled-up newspaper hit the top of my head, returning my gaze to the dog-headed chief as he huffed.

"Did you hear a word I said, woof?"

I blinked slowly, feeling a little guilty. "N-Not really."

He groaned, pinching the bridge of his snout. "I don't think you're understanding the seriousness of this situation."

I sighed, looking away. "What does it matter? I still had permission to fight the villains that kidnapped me."

"_Not_ All for One and _not_ with deadly force!"

"I didn't kill anyone! I wasn't _trying_ to!"

"That's not how the public will view it, woof."

"Who _cares_ what they think?" I argued, annoyed that I was being treated like a criminal. "I was trying to help! I saved that woman, led the other heroes to that location, got All Might to bloody focus and—"

"Nearly got yourself and your friends killed," he growled. "Not to mention costing the city money for your injuries and spilling blood on live television!"

"So does every damn hero! And I can't control the media coverage! That's _your_ job!"

He growled and barked at me aggressively, making me shrink back and grow silent.

"Do no talk to me about my job. You are just a kid and I'm trying to help you, but if you want to make my job difficult by arguing with me, then I'll just do my job properly like you want and imprison you."

I bristled. "You don't have a case. No jury will convict me."

"Perhaps not, woof, but you will most definitely be expelled from U.A. and have Quirk inhibitors restricting your movements. Is that what you want, woof?"

I grit my teeth. "This. This is why you guys have villains pissed at society. You're so fuckin' eager to just throw your problems in prison instead of looking at a situation and compromising. You throw me out there because of this, then don't be surprised to find me on the other side of that line."

He stiffened, seeming to finally understand what was going on. They'd just saved me. Put up a whole rescue op to get me out of the villains' hands—used _my_ information to help defeat said villains—and now they were threatening to just hand me back _willingly._

"All right. I do believe that is enough."

Our gazes shifted to Nezu, All Might, and Aizawa, making me suddenly feel rather worried. _Oh, no… They heard me, didn't they? Dog-man I can handle, but…_ I swallowed thickly and turned away from them, clenching the blankets at my waist as a ringing started up in my ears while I panicked. I hadn't even heard the chief of police leave, only snapping out of my daze when a paw touched my hand—making me jerk it away and look down at the grinning Nezu in fear.

"I-I… I-I-I didn't mean it. I-I was just, u-um—"

"It's all right, Hotaru," he hummed, remaining calm as he sipped at his tea.

_Where the hell—_

"The chief of police is right, you know," he mused, making me flinch as Aizawa's gaze bore into me. "You caused quite the stir after your rescue and trying to hide it from the public like before will be impossible with the multitude of witnesses."

"I know that," I grumbled, eyes latching onto my white sheets.

"Then, why argue with his decision?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I just want to be heard. It just… This kind of justice… It's not right."

"You don't think you should be punished?"

I groaned, bringing a hand to my head. "No. I'm not… I'm not saying that. Rules exist to keep order. I broke some rules, so I should be punished."

"Hotaru—"

Nezu cut All Might off, allowing me to continue.

"But I was _helping_. I didn't break them to be villainous. I broke them to keep people _safe_. Punishing a wrong-doer makes sense, but punishing a good-doer for a wrong decision? That's when good people question why they tried to be good in the first place. That's how society creates villains."

"Are you a villain?"

Midoriya would have replied right away. Hell, all of U.A. would have shouted 'no' at the top of their lungs. Me? I hesitated.

"I… I don't know."

The room went quiet before Aizawa let out a heavy sigh.

"I told you."

"That you did."

I looked up, brows furrowed in confusion as Nezu happily sipped his tea. _I'm missing something._

"Here," All Might said, handing me a letter.

I hesitantly took it, getting a nod from him to open it. I nearly dropped it when I caught sight of what it was, hands shaking so badly the words were blurred. _Or is it because I'm crying?_

"When word got out that you were going to be punished for your actions a few days ago, myself and a number of others felt it wouldn't be right and stepped in," All Might replied as I tried to hide my face with my hand. "In that letter is the signature of every hero and civilian you helped that day, pardoning you from any major punishment by the law."

"Y-You dicks," I half-sobbed. "T-The chief w-was just a t-t-trick."

"We only need confirmation that the villains had not managed to alter your viewpoints towards villainy," Nezu replied. "You wouldn't fight us as harshly as him. Favoritism tends to alter proper judgment. If, say, Aizawa punished you, I believe you would have taken it without disagreement."

"Instead, you managed to point out a flaw in society and insult the chief of police in the span of a few minutes," Aizawa huffed.

"I thought he was sending me to prison!"

"No. You thought he was sending you back to the villains and that scared you enough not to hold back," Aizawa corrected. "We knew for certain you weren't a villain the moment you didn't deny possibly being one."

I sniffed, wiping at my face. "Stupid old man. W-Who are you, my therapist?"

"That's Recovery Girl's job, brat," he grumbled, making me flinch when he reached out, but he only ruffled my hair. "I hate to say it, but you did a good job, kid. You could do without so many injuries though."

"It was six on one," I argued half-heartedly, looking back at the signatures on the paper and recognizing a few. "What about the public?"

Nezu shrugged. "They weren't close enough to hear your name and are having fun trying to learn about the new hero who had been on scene. Not that you've been given that title, but thanks to that and your remark to Midoriya to keep your kidnapping a secret, the spotlight has been taken off of U.A. for the moment. I and the rest of the staff thank you for that, however, we do have some things to discuss."

I hesitated. "Things?"

"Your other Quirk, for instance."

_Other… Oh… Oh, no. I gave away too much. They know about my foreknowledge but… they think it's a Quirk. I might be able to use this._ "I-I, um… I don't know a lot. Just bits and pieces."

"You know enough that villains could easily take an interest if they knew," Aizawa grumbled. "Does anyone else know you see glimpses of the future?"

"Iida," I muttered. "I made a mistake. I hadn't known his brother's phone was restricted to people he knew."

All Might's eyes widened. "_You_ were the anonymous tipster who saved him from Stain?"

I nodded slowly. "He would've been crippled for life and Iida would've sought revenge… I had to do something."

"Anyone else?"

I bit my lip. "Maybe Midoriya? I've let a few things slip that he's noticed but I don't know if he's connected the dots. No one else knows though, and Iida was willing to stay quiet."

"We'll have to keep it under wraps as well. You've gone and caught the villains' attention already, but that would only add to them wanting you."

I shrugged. "That's fine. I keep it hidden anyway. I know the risks."

"Good," Nezu replied. "And as for your punishment, you will be on house arrest until the next semester with regular meetings with Recovery Girl."

"What! I thought you said—"

"No major punishment by _law_," All Might shrugged. "Didn't say anything about the school. Sorry, kiddo."

I groaned but Nezu smiled as they made to leave.

"Though, I'm sure that won't matter once your roommates move in. The dorm is about to get louder, Hotaru. Try not to cause any more trouble."

I couldn't help but grin as I remembered what he meant. "No promises. It _is_ Class A, after all."


	11. Chapter 11

_Blood dripped slowly down my jaws as bones snapped, flesh tore, people screamed._

"_I thought you of all people would understand," Shigaraki murmured as All for One stepped out of Kurogiri's shadow beside him._

"_Hotaru Mirai…"_

"_You attacked with malicious intent."_

_Bars slammed down around me as I threw my battered body at them frantically._

"_I didn't mean to! Nobody died!"_

"_Didn't they?"_

"_H-Hotaru?"_

_My head whipped around to look at the frightened person beside me._

"_Midoriya… Midoriya, tell them! Y-You know me. I'm not a villain. I would never—"_

_Yet, he stepped back when I tried to approach._

"_Know you? I don't know anything about you, but…" He looked over his shoulder at the crying, bleeding, dying people. "You almost killed them. Heroes don't do that. I… I'm sorry, Hotaru."_

"_No! No, you don't understand! I was only—"_

_A hammer slammed down and Aizawa glared at me from the pulpit._

"_Guilty."_

"_No! Aizawa, I wasn't—You can't!"_

_I tried to reach out, but leather straps wrapped around me, constricting me as Shigaraki chuckled darkly._

"_Who would've known? U.A.'s number one villain, Hotaru Mirai. You're stuck with us now, whether you want to be or not. So, say hello to your new friends."_

_A Nomu roared, reaching down and easily lifting me towards its jaws._

"_No! No, I'm not a villain! I didn't mean to hurt them! Please! I-I can't die again! Not again!"_

_A blaring truck horn rang out and a set of headlights pierced the dark fog. Tires screeched, the car swerved, and the truck slammed it over the side of the bridge into the frozen river below._

* * *

My body lurched upright as I gasped for air, covered in sweat and more than a bit disoriented. Three loud knocks pounded on my front door, making me flinch. _D-Damn dream. _I dragged a hand shakily through my messy hair, giving the clock a glance. _Three hours. That's it. Recovery Girl is gonna be pissed._ The knocks came again, along with Aizawa's gravelly voice.

"You've got five minutes, brat! If you're not out there by then, I'm adding another week to your house arrest! _Move it!_"

"Y-Yes! Sorry!" I called in return, doing my best to brush off my nightmare and the phantom ache from the scar stretched down the right side of my face.

I made for my closet, cursing when I bumped my right hip on the edge of my desk in the process. _Damn depth perception._ I grit my teeth, flipping through the clothes and hastily throwing them on. _It's going to take forever to get used to this. Damn that stupid Spinner. Thanks to him, I can't—_My eyes caught sight of the time and I cursed.

"Shit! I've got a minute!"

_And it takes two to get downstairs. Three to five if I get lost. _I groaned.

"Why did they have to make it bigger!"

Taking a chance, I shoved my window open, placed a leg on the sill and jumped. I changed as I landed in the nearest tree, easily running down the trunk and dashing for the front of the newly extended dorm building. I spotted Aizawa checking his watch and ran up his leg and back, collapsing sprawled over his shoulder panting.

"S-Slave driver."

He eyed me, staying silent and worrying me for a moment before he let out a short 'hm' and reached up to scratch my head. _Oh, right. He's got a fondness for cats._ I smirked to myself. _That could be useful. Wonder how many different breeds I can change into…_ Footsteps approached, and I couldn't help but grin as Class A wandered up to the steps of the dorm building in awe. Aizawa drew their attention to us though, when he cleared his throat.

"Now then, Class 1-A. I'm glad to see you all here."

"Looks like everyone got permission to move in," Sero grinned.

Hagakure though sighed. "It was an uphill battle for me."

"Makes sense," Jiro mused as Ojiro agreed.

"Right. Probably cos you two were injured by that gas and hospitalized."

"And we're glad to see you here, sensei," Asui chirped. "I was sad cos I thought you might not come back after that press conference."

"I'm surprised too. But, well, a lot's happened. Anyway, I'm gonna give a quick overview of your dorms before Hotaru shows you around."

"Ah! I didn't even notice it was you!" Kaminari exclaimed, making me huff.

"Use up all your electricity already, Spark-Plug?"

"Oi!"

Aizawa clapped his hands together sharply, continuing. "Before that, the training camp was meant to earn you your provisional licenses. And that's still the goal."

"Oh, yeah! That's right! That's what we were doing!"

"With everything that happened, I totally forgot."

"This is important," Aizawa said seriously, silencing everyone. "Listen up. Todoroki, Kirishima, Midoriya, Yayorozu, Iida. On that night, you five headed out to rescue Hotaru."

All eyes went to the group.

"I think that all of you here understand the consequences of those actions. The issue's been swept under the rug for now but let me say this much. If not for All Might's retirement, I would have expelled every one of you except Hotaru, Jiro, Bakugou, and Hagakure." He paused. "Scratch Hotaru. Just the other three."

"O-Oi," I grumbled from his shoulder, though knowing he had a point as he continued to scold everyone.

There was a burst of electricity then and all eyes went to the dazed Kaminari, sending a number of people into giggles as Bakugou shouted.

"Oi, mutt!" He stormed to the front of the group and pulled me off Aizawa's shoulder, holding me by the scruff. "You do anything stupid like saving me again, and I'll fry the whiskers right off of ya."

I blinked before grinning. "I'll take that as a thank you, from my least favorite Hot-Head."

His fist sparked as an eyebrow twitched. "I wasn't thanking you, you damn cat!"

"You're welcome~"

"Rah!"

I nimbly dodged what would have been a nasty explosion if not for Aizawa and got everyone's attention. "Come on, you lot! Dorm's not gonna explore itself!"

They eagerly hurried after me as Aizawa took his leave. Part of my punishment was taking care of the dorms. _Which could be fun or a lot of work._

"Right. So, each class gets a building that's split down the middle. Girls on the right, boys on the left. First floor is the common room," I hummed, padding into the lavish sitting and dining area. "Dining hall, baths and laundry are here."

Ashido pumped her fists in excitement. "So spacious! Wow!"

"We've even got a courtyard!" Sero grinned as Uraraka wobbled on her feet.

"Swanky livin'."

"Did I hear that right?" Mineta purred, lust in his eyes. "The baths and laundry rooms are in the _common area_? My dream come true?"

I jumped on his head with a threatening smirk. "Also split up by gender and Aizawa has me in charge of patrols, so no funny business."

"Got it," he pouted as I hopped down, and we went up to the next floor.

"Rooms start on the second floor. Four boys and four girls on each floor with five floors in all. One student per room." I jumped up and opened a room to show them. "You got air conditioners, toilets, fridges, and closets."

Midoriya gaped. "Wow! We even have verandas!"

"The closets here are just as big as mine back home," Yayorozu hummed, causing Uraraka to wobble again.

"Here's the room assignments," I purred, sitting under the large poster of who got what room where. "Your luggage should already be there. Aizawa-sensei said today is just to settle in and what comes next will happen tomorrow in class."

"What about your room?" Midoriya questioned, not spotting it on the poster. "Are you staying somewhere else?"

"Nah, they just didn't put it up there. I've got the two center rooms on the second floor."

"_Two_ rooms!"

I shrugged. "The dorm was extended around my room, which was built more like an apartment than a dorm room. I have a kitchen and small dining area in mine and a little extra room. Nothing special. Though, you guys should get unpacking. Night will fall before you know it." I stood with a stretch, claws extending for a second. "I'll make sure dinner's taken care of. Be downstairs by five."

"Yes," they chimed, bounding off to get to work as I rolled my eyes with a small grin.

_Noisy indeed._

* * *

"Wow! I didn't know you could cook, Hotaru!"

Hotaru turned away from the pan she was frying vegetables in with a raised brow. "I _do_ live on my own, you know. Chef can't make me everything." She cracked a grin. "I was terrible when I first came here, actually. Aizawa just got tired of taking me out to eat and taught me, so you can thank him."

The boys shivered at the thought of Aizawa in an apron cooking, and hastily took their seats to plow through dinner. The girls soon joined in as well.

"This is great! Thanks, Hotaru!"

Hotaru waved them off, eating herself. "Just followed instructions left by Chef. I ain't cooking _all_ your meals. After tonight, you're all on your own."

"Hmph. I don't need your damn food," Bakugou huffed, but Kirishima gave him a look.

"But you just finished a whole plate of it."

There were quiet chuckles as Bakugou kicked Kirishima's chair and left to put his dishes away. Once finished, everyone returned to do last touchups to their room while Hotaru cleaned up. She went to put the last glass back in the cupboard, but hit it on the edge, sending it tumbling toward the ground. Before it could shatter though, a hand reached out and caught it.

"Ah, thanks, Tokoyami," she muttered, accepting the glass from the bird coming out his back. "Dark Shadow."

"Everything all right?" He asked, tucking Dark Shadow away. "It's not like you to fumble things."

"Yeah, no. I'm fine," Hotaru replied, wincing when she still managed to smack her hand into the edge of the cupboard.

"Right… Do the others know you cannot see from your right eye?"

Her jaw went tight. "Don't know what you're talking about."

He tucked his hands into his pockets. "Dark Shadow's been making rude gestures."

She whipped to the right looking pissed, but no one was there. She'd given herself away. With a small frown, she eyed him as he scratched his beak sheepishly.

"How'd you figure it out?" She grumbled.

"You were walking closer to the left side of the hall, turned to the right when opening the dorm room, and struggled not to bump your glass of water with your right hand at dinner… Did a villain—"

"Yes," she muttered, rubbing at the scar over her right eye in annoyance. "It was six on one and I got distracted. Recovery Girl did what she could, but eyes are delicate. It's healed, just… remembers the trauma or some shit. I'm not getting my sight back. Just gotta deal with it and adjust."

"I'm… sorry. Perhaps, if I had gone with them—"

"Shut up, you moron. I'm glad you didn't."

"What?"

Hotaru turned, grabbing his beak in her hand with a hint of annoyance. "Believe it or not, you lot are important to me and it would help if you remembered that and didn't do reckless shit like coming after me." She let him go, allowing him to rub at it. "So, thank you for not coming and trying to convince them not to. _Someone_ needs to have common sense in this class. So, stop blaming yourself for having some. Just because you weren't there doesn't mean you're responsible for what happened. You missed out, and in this case, that's a good thing." She cracked a small smile. "Stop being depressing, Prince of Darkness."

He managed a small grin of his own, shaking his head. "You're an impossible person to deal with, Hotaru."

"I try."

He huffed, but she stopped him.

"Oi, Prince."

He caught the item tossed to him, blinking in surprise at the popsicle.

"From my stash. Don't tell Recovery Girl," she grinned, and he lifted it in thanks as others slowly came out of their rooms to lounge about.

"Oh, boy. Not saying it was anything good that led us here, but still. I'm excited about us all living together," Kaminari smiled.

"I'm pooped," Kirishima countered while Iida fist-pumped.

"Communal living, yet another way to train our sense of law and order!"

"Don't hurt yourself there, Mr. President."

"You boys all finished with your rooms?" Ashido asked as the girls wandered out as well.

"Yeah, we're just relaxing now."

She grinned. "So, yeah! We've been talking and we've got an idea! How about we have a peek into each other's rooms! That okay, Hotaru?"

Hotaru looked up from a book, blinking. "I don't care. The rule is no opposite genders in other rooms after light's out. We've still got time and I can extend it for today."

"Wow, you sound like a teacher."

Hotaru flushed in embarrassment. "W-Well, it's not my fault they put me in charge."

Ashido chuckled. "Then, it's decided! Let's start with the second floor!"

Midoriya paled, scrambling to stop them as they went up and straight to his room. "Wah! No, no, no, hold on!"

Too late. His room was filled with All Might merchandise from top to bottom.

"All Might all around! It's a fanboy room!" Uraraka clapped as Midoriya sagged in embarrassment.

"I look up to him… kinda embarrassing…"

Hotaru pat his shoulder as they filed out. "Hey, we're seeing everyone's. You won't be the only one."

"Yeah, thanks."

Tokoyami was next, having to be physically shoved aside by the girls to get a peek at his gothic-styled room.

"Dark and scary!"

"Damn you all…"

"I think it's kinda cool," Hotaru hummed, eyeing a skull on his desk as Kirishima looked at his sword key-chain collection.

"I remember buying key-chains like this in middle school."

"So, boys like things like this, huh?" Ashido mused.

"Be gone!" Tokoyami shooed them as Hotaru grinned.

"Look! I match!"

Tokoyami flushed as she landed carefully on his skull and spread her wings, having changed into a raven.

"Let's go! Aoyama's next!"

The others chuckled at her antics and headed out, missing her plucking at Tokoyami's feathered head.

"You're welcome, Prince."

"I-I am… very grateful."

She grinned and flew off to join the others, who weren't surprised by Aoyama's ridiculously shiny room.

"Who's left on the second floor?" Uraraka asked, eyes shifting to Mineta creepily calling them over.

"Come on in. I've got something awesome to show you."

Everyone turned away and towards Hotaru.

"Can we see your room?"

She shrugged, flying down the hall. "Sure, might be messy though."

They headed over as she landed on the door handle and let them in.

"Whoa, it's very…"

"Practical?"

Hotaru blinked, flying in and landing on a perch in the corner of the living area. "Really?"

"And messy," Ashido chuckled, prodding at some books by the door. "Why are these just stacked up here?"

"My Quirk acts up sometimes and I can change into smaller animals that may not be able to reach the door handle. I've asked for a doggy door, but it's pending review or some shit."

"Um, why's your fridge empty?" Kirishima questioned, making her flinch.

"Haven't been out to the shop yet," she muttered, looking away and fidgeting on the perch.

"T-That's a lot of blankets," Uraraka pointed out—the bed having three and another thick one lying on the floor by the table.

"I-I-I get cold!"

They didn't look convinced but soon moved to Ojiro's room.

"Another plain one!"

"Just about the plainest room you could have!"

"If you've got nothing nice to say…"

Iida's room was stacked high with books, the only surprising thing being his shelves of glasses.

"Pft, he's obsessed with glasses!"

"Is that so unreasonable! I expect to go through many pairs during our intense training…"

Kaminari's was full of games and sports equipment. Koda's coming with a rabbit, which immediately caught the girl's attention.

"No fair, using a pet like that," Kaminari pouted. "That's cheating, Koda."

Realizing this had become a competition, the boys were quick to drag the other girls into it, who were eager to find the "King of Rooms." The only person who didn't appear to participate being Bakugou. The next choices weren't much to add to the competition though. Kirishima's manly bedroom, Shoji's empty bedroom, Sero's exotic one, and Todoroki's Japanese-style room were no match for Sato's cooking. He won in the end, leaving the girl's rooms not even in the competition.

Everyone headed to bed at the end of it all, tired from unpacking and the impromptu competition. Everyone except one.

Midoriya rubbed his eyes at maybe three in the morning, mouth dry. _Thirsty, _his tired mind supplied, and he slowly padded out of bed and downstairs to the common room. He hadn't thought to keep water bottles in his fridge and a glass was needed for his bathroom too—an item he'd forgotten when packing. He took the stairs down, not wanting the noise of the elevator to wake anyone and yawned as he stepped into the dark kitchen, only to yelp.

"Ah! H-Hotaru? What… What are you doing up?"

She glanced at him and then down to the mug in her hands, lit only by a small candle on the table. "Having tea, I suppose. Did you need something?"

"Um, water. I… don't have a glass in my room."

"Well, don't let me stop you," she hummed, sipping her tea as Midoriya went to get water.

He eyed her though, seeing now how worn out she looked with the bags under her eyes. _She looks thin too, _he mused as she reached up with a frown and rubbed at the scar on the right side of her face.

"Does it hurt?" He blurted out, immediately backtracking. "S-Sorry, I just—You were rubbing at it, and I thought…"

"It's fine. It's a phantom ache," she sighed out, lowering her hand. "Just reminding me it's there."

"…You look tired."

Her gaze shifted to him, head turning as he came up on her right side.

"Y-You should go to bed. It's late."

She watched him for a moment before nodding and sliding back her chair. "Yeah, you're probably right," she muttered, reaching for her cup.

Midoriya blinked in surprise though, as she missed, knuckles tapping it as her hand brushed past. He caught the small wince when she tried again, hitting it with the tips of her fingers before managing to wrap her hand around it.

"Hotaru, are you—"

"Don't," she cut him off, sliding past him to the sink. "Don't tell anyone and… stop reminding me."

He hesitated as she rinsed her glass and set it aside to dry before something urged him forward.

"You… You can talk to us about it, you know."

She didn't say anything, and he stepped up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm just… I'm worried."

"Don't be. It's my problem. I'm working through it," she grumbled, hands tightening around the edge of the counter.

Midoriya frowned. "I want to help, and some things you can't do on your own."

"You wouldn't understand. You can't help me with things like this, Midoriya."

"Not if you don't let me," he argued, letting her go with a small sigh. "I won't force you to talk about it, but just know that you can tell me, and I'll do what I can to help. We can figure something out, Hotaru."

She didn't respond and he started to leave when she finally spoke. "I need help training before school… if you could."

He cracked a smile and nodded. "I'll help. I won't let you fall behind."

* * *

"As I mentioned yesterday, our primary goal now is to get your provisional licenses," Aizawa announced, eyeing the class and narrowing his eyes at the lightly dozing Hotaru. "Hero licenses are inextricably tied to the saving of lives, so one must be properly qualified for such a heavy responsibility. Naturally, the test is incredibly difficult. Even for provisional licenses, on average we only see a fifty percent success rate."

Mineta began to sweat. "Even the provisional one's that hard to get?"

An eraser flew across the room, knocking white powder into Hotaru's hair and making her snap upright, dazed.

"As I was _saying_," Aizawa said shortly, making her wilt in her seat. "Starting today, each of you needs to come up with at least two ultimate moves!"

Midnight, Cementos and Ectoplasm burst into the room, sending excited students onto their feet.

"This is kinda like a school thing, but totally hero-like at the same time!"

"Ultimate moves!" Ectoplasm called out, silencing them. "These are your finishers. Your most unique techniques!"

Cementos held up a finger. "Internalize these moves. Make them your own until they become unparalleled. Combat is all about finding and making use of your particular strengths!"

Midnight slipped on her glasses. "Your moves symbolize who you are! Nowadays, pro heroes without ultimate moves are a dying breed!"

"Let's move forward with a more detailed explanation and a practical demonstration. Change into your costumes and meet us at Gym Gamma," Aizawa dismissed and everyone eagerly headed out.

"I don't know about this," Hotaru grumbled, rubbing the back of her neck and surprising the others.

"It's not like you to be nervous," Iida commented.

"I'm not nervous, just… uncertain. My Quirk isn't the type to be able to come up with ultimate moves. The most ultimate thing about it is the most basic. I change into animals. Any strengths change depending on the animal, so one good move for one species may not be able to translate into another, you know what I mean?"

"Hm, I see. That is definitely a challenge."

Midoriya frowned, thinking. "Maybe Aizawa-sensei has something figured out for you."

"Yeah, maybe. Otherwise, this will just be another brute training session for me again," she grumbled, earning chuckles as they all entered the gym where Cementos was getting ready.

It wasn't long though before everyone split up and began working with Ectoplasm copies. Everyone except two people. Midoriya and Hotaru stood around, eyeing everyone else's progress—Hotaru stretching. Ectoplasm spotted them and headed over, kicking Midoriya and aiming one at Hotaru—which she dodged with a one-handed handstand, mildly glaring at him.

"Not sure what to do?"

Hotaru twisted and landed back on her feet. "My Quirk doesn't _have_ moves. I just work with what animal I ended up with and go from there."

Midoriya fidgeted. "My arm's pretty much a ticking time bomb, so I shouldn't overdo it. I really can't think of an ultimate move."

"Hm, indeed, your Quirk is about as far from stable as you can get. Since you two still haven't decided, use today to focus on learning your Quirks."

Hotaru roughly bumped Midoriya's shoulder, making him stumble and stop frowning down at his hands. "Come on. We can spar for now. Maybe you'll get a clue when I kick your ass."

"H-Hotaru!" He complained, bounding off after her to a space where they could fight. Then, something about her wording clicked in his head. "Do you have an idea for my ultimate move?"

Hotaru raised a brow, looking past him and spotting All Might in the doorway watching them. "Yes, but you'll have to figure it out. I'm not going to give you all the answers."

"But—" he was cut off by one of Bakugou's explosions, turning his concerned gaze back to his hand before feeling something coming at him. "Ah! Hotaru!"

Hotaru gave him a look, twisting on her hand after aiming a kick up toward his face, that he blocked. "Stop worrying and spar, moron. Moping isn't going to help. And _you…_" She made Midoriya dodge again but shot a small annoyed look at All Might, who'd started to head over. "…are really annoying when you get into people's heads like that."

He blinked. "What?"

Hotaru rolled her eyes, rotating her shoulder. "All Might this, All Might that. I understand respect, but people need to stop trying to _be_ you and just be themselves first. You got that, Midoriya?"

"Eep!" He squeaked, taking a step back as Hotaru moved forward.

"That was hint number one," she hummed, startling Midoriya when she sped forward and was on him in a split second.

_S-She wasn't this fast this morning! W-Was she holding back?_

She went to swing a punch and Midoriya brought his arm up to block, closing his eyes and bracing for impact, only for her foot to hook around his ankles and send him toppling to the ground. He blinked up at her in open-mouthed shock.

"Hint number two, expand your horizons. Can't keep fighting me the same way as always or I start to read you like a book. Change it up. Do something different. Stop trying to emulate _him_ and get your head in the game."

"R-Right!"

All Might watched in stunned surprise as they went back to sparring, ignoring him, and Aizawa moved up beside him.

"What did you do to piss her off?"

"I… don't know, honestly," All Might muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "She's right though, and better at teaching than me, which is a little depressing."

Aizawa snorted, eyeing the two. "She's definitely got a lot going on upstairs. She'll be good for him, keep him in check."

"Do they spar a lot?"

Aizawa hummed. "You already know about her study group from before, but I believe they've started training before class. She doesn't want to fall behind because of what happened." He tapped below his right eye and All Might nodded solemnly.

"That kind of disability could be career-ending."

"Not to her," Aizawa mused. "You can barely tell she's changed her fighting style. It's not obvious she's favoring her right side. You can't tell unless you're looking, but she's always on the move now. Doesn't give you a chance to try and land a blow… but…"

"But?"

Aizawa frowned. "She hasn't used her Quirk while sparring. Not once."

All Might grew serious as well. "You think she…"

Aizawa nodded. "Recovery Girl has confirmed it, though it wasn't easy… She's afraid to hurt someone with her Quirk."

"After the damage she did to those villains, it's not surprising," All Might muttered. "Even I was more hesitant the first time I broke a bone. Has anyone spoken to her about it? Other than Recovery Girl."

Aizawa shook his head. "And say what? She's aware of the problem and anything we say will be brushed off. She's too intelligent and stubborn to take anything we say to heart. She'll work through it sooner or later—she'll _have_ to. Provisional licenses are fast approaching and she's a prime candidate, but only if she pushes past her fear and works to her full potential."

All Might eyed him with a small smile. "You really like her as a student, don't you?"

Aizawa glared. "Don't you have someplace to be?"

* * *

I followed Midoriya towards the Development Studio where we were going to get costume mods—Midoriya silently contemplating my words and actions from before. _I fought him only using my legs and attacking mainly __**his**__ legs. Is it really that hard to figure out?_ He went to knock on the door before I heard something from inside, the same time Uraraka and Iida headed over.

"Look, it's Deku and Hotaru!" Uraraka grinned. "We were wondering where you two went! Here for a costume mod?"

"Oh, Uraraka!" Midoriya smiled before I grabbed him and pulled him away from the door as it exploded.

We were still knocked back and I groaned when someone slammed into me, sprawling us on the floor. There was a ringing in my ears that took a moment to go away; the smoke clearing to reveal the big-busted woman lying on my chest.

"Huh? Where'd you come from?"

I went to respond but the only thing that came out was…

"Boobs."

She blinked as the others gaped before she burst out laughing and helped me onto my feet.

"Sorry for the unexpected explosion! It's been a while! You guys are from the Hero Course… huh…What were your names again?" Hatsume asked.

"M-Midoriya Izuku."

"Hotaru Mirai."

"I am Iida Tenya! The man you used as a walking billboard during the Sport's Festival!"

"Of course!" She whipped back around. "Anyway, I'm busy. Got to get back to working on my babies."

"Ah, hold on!" Midoriya tried to stop her and I debated on whether or not I should warn him about his next words.

_Nah, I'd rather have her jumping him than me. One of my mods is more… personal, after all._

"Um, I was hoping to talk to Power Loader-sensei about revising my costume."

"Costume remodeling?" She snapped in front of him in an instant. "Color me intrigued!"

I rolled my eyes as Power Loader calmed her down and led us inside. It didn't take long before the others were dragged into Hatsume's antics, so I took my chance to slip by and give Power Loader my schematics.

"Very basic," he hummed, eyeing them. "Easy to work with. What would you like done?"

"It's less to do with the costume and more what you could do for me," I hummed, tapping the scar on my face. "I need some sort of audio perimeter monitor or something. Something to tip me off if there's something approaching from my right side."

He was quiet for a moment but nodded. "I'm sure I could rig something up for you. I assume you're going for discreteness?"

"As subtle as you can make it." I scratched at the tail-end of the scar that was near my jawline. "The other thing, I don't know if it's possible, but I was thinking… a sort of mouthguard? My Quirk lets me change into animals, so if I could enhance _their_ abilities, I might be able to do something with it."

"Hm, increase bite strength, jaw durability… I might be able to even use the same idea in gloves for claws. Getting it to morph with you is the challenging part," he mused, hand on his chin.

"You can do it?" I was rather stunned. _Something like that in __**my **__world is like fantasy stuff._

"Sure can. I'll just need you to drop by every so often to test it and make sure it morphs properly."

There was a loud noise and we both spotted Iida pressed to the ceiling by one of Hatsume's invention. Power Loader sighed heavily.

"That girl…" He grumbled, going over and attempting to smack her upside the head as I joined the others. "Sorry. Her ego knows no bounds. It's like a sickness, really."

"We know…"

I hummed. "She'd be helpful as support tough. She seems to know what she's doing."

Power Loader nodded. "She's in a league of her own."

Midoriya seemed to have gained some insight from something though and beamed at me. "I've figured it out!"

I snorted through my nose. "Took you long enough."

"Iida, think you could teach me some moves?"

"Now, just hold on a moment," he slowed Midoriya down. "In case you haven't noticed, we still haven't gotten anywhere with the matter of our costumes."

"Oh, right!"

"Deku, you're so energetic all of a sudden," Uraraka commented, eyeing me for some reason as I yawned and made to leave.

"R-Really? Am I?" Midoriya stuttered, spotting me. "Hotaru?"

I waved over my shoulder. "I got my stuff taken care of and need to get back to training. You may have found a way to do an ultimate move, but I've still got work to do."

"Oh… okay."

_I can't even fight properly. That comes first, but even if I get my costume modded…_ I glanced down at my quivering hand. _Could I even use it?_

* * *

Four days later, All Might stepped into Gym Gamma to check up on everyone.

"How are they coming along, Aizawa?"

"Here again? They're doing okay."

Costumes had been modded, Quirks used in new ways, advice taken.

"Some of them are finally settling on unique styles," Aizawa hummed. "And others seem to have hammered out multiple moves."

They turned their attention to Bakugou as he blasted a concentrated shot into a boulder.

"Bakugou's battle sense is as sharp as ever, I see," All Might mused, looking around. "How are Midoriya and Hotaru? They were struggling before."

"Hey! Heads up!" Bakugou shouted, part of his boulder having tumbled right for All Might.

"You fool!"

It was kicked into pieces before it could make contact, surprising the others with Midoriya's new fighting style.

"Are you okay, All Might?"

He cracked a smirk. "Yeah."

A few other students commented in surprise as well, making Midoriya grow a little sheepish.

"Hotaru gave me the idea to change up my style but going in this direction is still just a stopgap. Nothing I can call an ultimate move just yet."

"No way! You're not giving your 'stopgap' enough credit here. It'll serve you well in the licensing exam."

Aizawa stepped over. "That was close, All Might. You'd better stand back for now."

"Apologies. I'm sorry, Bakugou, kid!" He called up as well, angering the teen.

"You better watch yourself, All Might!"

_Watch myself, right._ He looked down at his hand. _I thought I'd come to terms with this, but in everyone else's eyes, I'm the one who needs protecting now._

"Would you all stop fussing over him?"

All Might blinked as he and the other pros and students turned to Hotaru.

"Honestly, he's an ex-pro, not a five-year-old. He can take care of himself." She glanced at him briefly before returning to her stretches.

"Brat," Aizawa huffed, but All Might was curious.

_Did she… know it bothered me?_ "Has she figured out anything yet?"

Aizawa went quiet. "If she has, she hasn't shown it here. Power Loader told me about her mods, but she hasn't used two of them. Refuses to change into an animal other than for getting the mods fitted. The other is a proximity monitor for her right side."

"How's she doing with that?"

"She's a quick learner. Got used to it in a few hours. Wears it outside of training as well. It's quickened her reflexes and has made things more difficult for Midoriya, who'd started to notice."

All Might raised a brow. "She's holding her own against him without changing _and_ with his new style?"

Aizawa nodded. "She changes styles too easily. He can't read her without more time, and she knows that and doesn't give it to him. She's helped the others too. A few coming to her. She's too smart for her own good."

"And definitely the 'mother-hen' type," All Might muttered, wincing when a rock bounced off his head. "Ow!"

"I heard that!" Hotaru snapped. "Go out drinking if you're gonna gossip like old men! And I'm not standing around! I'm _working, _unlike someone!"

"Doesn't look like it," Aizawa replied. "You haven't changed once."

She bristled. "You said try new things and I am! I can change just my senses into animal ones, Cocky-sensei~"

Aizawa's brows twitched in annoyance, cracking his knuckles. "Oh, yeah? Then, let's test your _combat sense_, brat."

"Shit," she cursed, prepping for an attack but someone interrupted.

"That's enough, Class A! TKL is supposed to be ours this afternoon," Vlad King shouted. "Eraser, get going now."

"We've still got about ten minutes left and I aim to use our time efficiently."

And as they bickered, Hotaru let out a soft sigh. She really had lucked out.

* * *

The girls sat around the lounge after dinner and their baths, relaxing.

"Bwah! They're working us to the bone every day!" Ashido drawled as Jiro stretched her arms out beside her.

"That's why they call it accelerated training."

"And we only have one more week," Yayorozu added.

"How're your ultimate moves coming along, Yao?"

"Well, I have some ideas in mind, but my body's not quite there yet. I still need to work on enhancing my Quick a bit."

"How about you, Tsuyu?"

"I'm working on perfecting my more frog-like techniques. They'll be sure to shock even you, Toru."

"And you, Ochaco?"

She didn't respond, staring into space as she drank her milk until Asui tapped her shoulder, startling her.

"Wah!"

"You seem wiped out."

"No, no, no! I'm not tired! Still got miles to go! Or so I'd like to think. It's just… I don't know. Lately, my mind's been all over the place."

"It's love," Ashido stated bluntly, making her break out in a cold sweat.

"Huh? W-What? Dove? Never seen one! Not me!" She flailed.

"Is it Midoriya? Iida? You're always hanging out with those two, though so is Hotaru."

"No, no!" She covered her face, lifting up into the air.

"She's floating."

"Which one! Who is it! Tell us!"

"Spit it out! The truth will set you free!"

"No, that's not it, really! I swear, I'm not… seriously... Oh, I don't know."

"No sense in prying if she's not ready," Asui hummed as Uraraka drifted around.

"Right. We have an early day tomorrow, so I think it's time to say goodnight."

"Huh? No way!" Ashido argued. "I still gotta know! Try changing the subject, and I'll flip it back to romance!"

"That's not…" Uraraka trailed off, spotting Midoriya training outside, making her heart flutter.

Hotaru walked up to him then, giving him advice of some kind and training with him; catching one of his kicks and flipping him over her shoulder with ease. A frown marred Uraraka's features as Ashido continued on.

"Oh! What about Hotaru? She's been doing extra training sessions with Midoriya, hasn't she? Those two could have something going on, don't you think?"

"I don't know. Have you seen the way Tokoyami looks at her sometimes?"

"No way! Him?"

"She gets along with all the boys though, so it could be anyone."

"What about Bakugou?"

There was a beat of collective silence as everyone thought about it before an agreement was made.

"Nah."

"No way!"

"He'd probably explode himself before that happens!"

They all chuckled, thinking up different pairings for the quiet animal-shifter before the woman herself walked into the room-wiping sweat off her face with a towel. The girls paused before suddenly bursting into laughter.

"What?" Hotaru asked, very much confused. "What! Why are you all laughing! Stop it! Oi, are you listening? Stop!"

Yet, Uraraka couldn't find it in her to laugh along with them as she slowly sank back onto the sofa. _Hotaru and… Midoriya?_


	12. Chapter 12

"Everyone out. We're here. Our test site, the National Takoba Arena!"

Class A clambered out of the bus, looking around.

"Getting nervous now," Jiro mumbled as Mineta fretted.

"Still no clue what this test's about. Can we really earn our licenses?"

"Mineta," Aizawa said, leaning over. "It's not a matter of can. You _will_."

"R-R-Right, of course!"

"Earn your provisional licenses by passing this test, and you won't be mere eggs anymore, but full-fledged hatchlings reborn as semi-pros! Show them your best."

"Yeah! We're gonna hatch from those eggs!"

"Time for our cheer! All together now! Plus…"

"Ultra!"

All eyes went to the figure who had burst forward and joined in beside Hotaru.

"It's bad manners to intrude on another group's huddle, Inasa," another student from his school chided.

"Ah, you got me!" He agreed, bowing low enough to bash his head on the concrete. "I am so very sorry!" He bellowed, Hotaru's eye twitching.

"Who's this whacked-out big ball of excitement?" Kaminari questioned, getting promptly whacked upside the head by Hotaru.

"Don't be rude. _Everyone_ in U.A. is as nuts as him."

"Yeah, but he's like Iida and Kirishima, squared," Sero muttered, smiling an holding up his hands in surrender when Hotaru glared at him.

"U.A.'s in the East and Shiketsu's in the West," Bakugou grumbled. "Theirs is one of the few Hero Courses that can rival U.A., Shiketsu High."

Inasa bolted up from his bow. "I just always wanted to try saying it! Plus Ultra! I freakin' love U.A. High! It is truly an honor to complete alongside the fine students of U.A.!" He whipped around to Hotaru then, abruptly grabbing her hands. "And thank you for defending me! I am eternally grateful!"

Hotaru didn't care, snatching her hands out of his and promptly slamming a fist down onto his head, much to everyone's shock.

"Don't touch people without permission," she growled—some of her classmates swearing they saw lightning and a dragon in the background for a second. "It's rude."

Everyone held their breath to see how Inasa would respond, him slowly rising to his full height and rubbing where she'd hit him. Being double her size, they half-expected a fight to break out. Instead, Inasa surprised them all again with a bellow of laughter.

"I see! You're completely right!" He snapped down into a seiza bow. "I humbly beg for your forgiveness!"

Hotaru's brow twitched again, a hint of red dusting her cheeks. "F-Fine! Just get up! You're causing a scene, you idiot!"

He was back upright and grinning away. "I am Inasa Yoarashi of Shiketsu High! May I inquire your name?"

Hotaru sighed, dragging a hand down her face. "Why am I always surrounded by idiots?" She murmured under her breath before speaking loud enough for him to hear. "Hotaru Mirai, happy now?"

"Absolutely! I cannot wait to see you in the competition! Goodbye, Hotaru-chan!"

She twitched again as he rushed off to join his classmates. "D-Don't talk to me all familiar!"

Someone snorted behind her and quiet giggles broke out from some of her classmates.

"Looks like someone's got an admirer~" Kaminari snickered, only to end up on the ground a second later with Hotaru cracking her knuckles over him.

"Anybody else have something funny to say?"

No one replied—a few shaking their heads—and Aizawa hummed.

"Inasa Yoarashi…"

"Do you know him, sensei?"

"He's really enthusiastic," Kirishima commented. "But from what he's saying, he actually seems like a nice dude."

"He's… very strong."

"Not if Hotaru could beat him," Sero mused, ending up on the ground with Kaminari.

"That's not what happened, dolt."

Aizawa nodded. "Yoarashi. This year, he got placed into your grade at U.A. under special recommendation. His top grades were enough to open the doors for him, but for some reason, he decided not to matriculate."

"Huh? So, he's a first-year?" Midoriya questioned nervously. "With special recommendation and top grades?"

"This guy says he's a big fan of U.A. but he turned down the offer to attend? I don't get it."

"Weird."

"Weird or not, he's the real deal. Keep an eye on him, especially you, Hotaru," Aizawa glanced at her. "Seeing as you've caught his interest."

"Lucky me," she grumbled.

"Eraser? Is that really you, Eraser?"

Aizawa turned and went pale as he caught sight of the woman heading over, not catching the large grin spreading over Hotaru's face.

"I saw you on TV and at the Sport's Festival. It's been too long since we last met face-to-face. Let's get married!"

"No thanks," Aizawa rejected quickly, the same moment Hotaru slipped up beside him.

"He means, yes."

"_No_, I don't," he growled, glaring at Hotaru as the woman chuckled.

"See? Even your student sees the chemistry!"

"You're the same pain in the neck as always, Joke."

Joke laughed as Midoriya went on in a ramble about her Quirk.

"Marry me, and we could build a happy household where the laughs never stop."

"Please do," Hotaru jumped in again as Aizawa shoved her face away.

"Nothing about that sounds happy to me."

Asui snuck over as Aizawa struggled with Hotaru. "So, you two are friends?"

"Our agencies were close by, way back when! I'd save him a few times, and he'd save me. We fell in love and you know how it goes."

"It went nowhere," Aizawa said shortly—Hotaru struggling to get out of his chokehold. "So, your school's here too?"

"Teasing you is always good for a laugh, Eraser. And yeah! Come on over, everyone! Come meet U.A.!"

A group headed over, smiling away but Aizawa sensed the change in Hotaru's demeanor and let her go as she eyed them.

"Whoa! It's really them!"

"Wowee! All those guys from the TV!"

"This is Class 2-2 of Ketsubutsu Academy. Say hello to my students," Joke smirked as the most pro-active of the group bounded forward to shake hands with Class A.

"My name's Shindo! U.A.'s had it rough this year, right? The hits just keep coming. But you guys still have your hearts set on becoming heroes. That's awesome! I believe the heroes of tomorrow need to have that kind of fortitude!"

"What a straight-talking eloquent, cool dude…" Kaminari breathed out as Shindo turned.

"Best of all, here's Bakugou! You've got the strongest will of all. I'm so glad we get a chance to face guys of your caliber today. We're going to give it our best."

There was a screech then, flapping wings in his face making him yelp and stumble away from Bakugou as a large Bearded Vulture landed on his shoulder and glared at Shindo.

"Don't patronize us," Hotaru said shortly, eyeing him threateningly. "Piss off before we have a problem."

"O-Oi, Hotaru. No reason to be so rude. What's got you in such a foul mood today," Kirishima muttered as Shindo moved on to some of the others.

"You saw it too?" Bakugou questioned her as she shuffled on his shoulder a bit.

"He spouted a lot of crap, but between the undertones and the look in his eyes, it was a bit obvious."

"I didn't need your help."

"Never said you did, Hot-Head. Just wanted to let off some steam," she hummed, taking off and flying toward Aizawa. "Oi, sensei! Change me back or I'll tell Present Mic about your wedding~"

* * *

"There's too many…" Midoriya muttered as Uraraka gaped as well.

"I know!"

I eyed them—human again thanks to Aizawa—but turned my attention to the man in charge.

"Right, the provisional licensing exam. That's what you're here for. Yeah… I'm Mera, with the Heroes Public Safety Commission. My favorite type of sleep is non-REM sleep. Nice to meet you all." He slumped. "Work is so busy that I barely get any sleep. We're terribly short-staffed. Just wanna sleep."

"This guy…" I breathed out, drawing Midoriya and Uraraka's attention to me. "…is my spirit animal."

"W-What?"

"Mm," I hummed, closing my eyes. "I'm very tempted to just change into a sloth and join him up there. Maybe we can _both_ get some sleep."

Midoriya sweatdropped as Mera continued.

"Getting right to it, all 1,540 examinees present will be in one massive free-for-all exercise! Simple, right?"

"They're gonna narrow down the numbers quick," I murmured, Midoriya eyeing me. "There's too many to keep track of and they don't have time to waste. This is going to be fast elimination."

"Nowadays, the amount of time it takes to resolve any given incident is incredibly short," Mera grumbled as Midoriya gaped at me in shock as my prediction came through. "Those of you who earn your provisional licenses will be confronting such situations that unfold at a breakneck pace. Those who can't keep up are doomed to fail. Which is why we're testing you on speed! Only the first hundred examinees to meet the requirements will pass."

"See?" I glanced at Midoriya. "There's no coddling here. This isn't going to be just any exam. You pass this shit and _lives_ are in your hands. They're not going to go easy."

Our first portion of the test was explained and targets passed out to place on our bodies, just as the so-called "room" we were in opened to reveal a massive arena full of different types of environments. Midoriya was quick to try and gather U.A. students the first chance he got.

"People won't be fighting their own schoolmates. Teaming up with friends whose Quirks you know seems like the way to win. Guys, we should stick together and move as a group!"

"As if, this ain't some class picnic," Bakugou barked, running off with Kirishima on his heels.

"I'm out too," Todoroki bolted. "I can't make good use of my power if we're packed together."

I hesitated as well, something Midoriya spotted.

"Hotaru?"

"They know our Quirks," I explained, eyeing him. "Don't you see? U.A. is prime target number one. Moment this starts, _everyone_ will be on us. I can't afford to use my Quirk three times from the start. That's what I'll be forced to do if I'm the center of attention."

Midoriya stepped up to me, green eyes blazing seriously. "We won't let that happen, but we're going to need your help. You're just as good as Todoroki and Bakugou. You're smart and can help us think up a plan, help us execute it. Hotaru, we _need_ you."

I glanced past him at the others who nodded, grinned and gave me thumbs-ups. Begrudgingly, I mentally tossed away my initial plan to stealth attack on my own and let out a long sigh, dragging a hand down the scar on my face.

"Fine. Let's see what we can do."

Midoriya grinned as we started running.

"Those with large, wide defense incircle those without," I ordered as people shifted. "Everyone's going to throw those balls at us first chance they get. We've got to blow them away."

"Right!"

"_Start!_"

Dozens of people jumped out, including Shindo as he smirked.

"'Super strength that wrecks your own body,' let's see. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down first!"

Midoriya, Tokoyami, Ashido, and Mineta all blocked the balls as we kept going.

"Stick together!" I called out from the center of the group, unable to really help since my attacks were all close-range. "Close-range fighters stick to the center unless you're confident about sneaking in close to someone. Long-range fighters, you're the attack force for now. If you've got a confident shot, take it. Right now, remain on the defense. That was wave one. They're gonna get creative."

Sure enough, one of the students sent someone underground and Jiro stepped forward.

"Everyone get back, this is _my_ job!" She shouted, using her ear jacks to send sound into the ground and uproot everyone.

"Ashido, protect Mineta! They'll aim for the apparent weakest first!" I commanded, her blocking the balls. "Offensive, now! While their footing is off!"

Tokoyami nearly got one as Mera announced that no one had passed yet. Knowing what was going to happen next, I started grabbing people.

"Split up into groups you know you're good with," I informed them, earning a look of confusion. "Trust me! They're going to force us apart otherwise, might as well do it first with someone you're good with. We're too big of a target right now. Move! Three people per group at least. Close and long-range fighters in each group if you can! Go!"

They started to split off and I hastily thought about my choices. _I can go back to my initial plan or split off with someone. Midoriya deals with that villain in disguise, but I want to avoid them as much as possible right now. He ends up fine anyway. Tokoyami and Iida's group take a while. _Begrudgingly, I made my choice just as Shindo used his Quirk to forcefully separate everyone. _All of Class A pass. They don't need my help or interference. I can't risk my presence failing someone. I'm on my own. Stealth it is._ Quickly, I changed, ducking and diving in the shadows of upturned rocks and making a beeline for the forested area as a Capuchin Monkey. Just dashing on the way there, I was quick enough to bounce around an unsuspecting fighting duo, who were more focused on their fight than realizing I was around.

When one—with some sort of water Quirk—was defeated, the other was rather confused as to why he hadn't passed until I landed on his head and used a ball to touch his first target.

"W-What! Who—"

"You should pay more attention to your surroundings in a fight," I remarked with a sharp-toothed grin. "I got you both without even trying."

He whipped around, throwing some sort of rope at me, reminding me of Sero's tape Quirk.

"And you've got a Quirk similar to someone at my school? That's unfortunate."

"Shut up, you stupid monkey! Hold still!"

I dodged his attack effortlessly. "Mah, resorting to name-calling? What sort of hero does that?"

"Stop moving!"

"Don't think so. Ah! Duck!"

He jerked, ducking only to gape as I bounced off his shoulder, touching another target.

"Just kidding~"

He swung around with an aggravated shout, picking up speed, but I wasn't bothered. _Training with Iida and people faster than me really paid off. Oh! This should be good._

"Look out!"

"I'm not falling for _that_ again!" He snapped, only to be hit hard upside the head by a rock that had come flying by.

Jumping over, I hit the last target with a shrug as he groaned on the floor.

"I _did_ warn you," I hummed, my targets informing me I'd passed. "You okay enough to get up?"

"What do you care?" He grumbled, pushing himself upright.

"It'd be rude if I didn't make sure you were all right. It's not like you're a villain. We're all aiming to be heroes, so it's important to act like one and help people, right?"

He hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm okay."

"All right, but don't tell anyone I said that. It's a _little_ cheesy."

He snorted and I hurried off to the room for those who'd passed, jumping on a familiar shoulder.

"Ah! Hotaru, you passed!" Midoriya grinned.

"Yup. Got a handy animal this time," I grinned. "How are the others?"

"We're just worried. There's still Iida, Aoyama, Tokoyami, and a few others and they're running out of spots."

"Don't worry so much," I chattered, hooking my tail around his arm and reaching out to grab a drink. "The moment you stop believing in them is when they lose."

A moment later, the announcer said the first round was over and all of Class A cheered.

"Yeah!"

"This is great! Greater than great!"

"Our whole class passed the first round!"

"Told you," I hummed to Midoriya. "But we need to focus. Round two is next."

"Now, will all hundred of you please watch the screen," Mera announced, making us all turn to watch as the stage we'd been in exploded.

"Why!"

I groaned. "What a pain. My Quirk isn't great at this."

"Round two's the last one! You examinees will venture into the ruins as bystanders and prove your worth when it comes to rescuing innocent victims. You will _not_ be acting as ordinary citizens, but as people who have already secured a provisional license. This will be a test of your aptitude for rescue operations."

Shoji perked up. "There are people there."

"W-What?"

"Say what? Old people and little kids? What are you doing? It's dangerous!"

"They're pros," I grumbled, jumping off Midoriya's shoulder and changing into a German Shepard.

"The folks of H.U.C. are on standby all over the field disguised as casualties and it's your mission to extricate them," Mera continued. "Now, this time you and your rescue efforts will be graded via points. If at the end of the exercise, you have exceeded the watermark score, you will have cleared the exam. The test starts in ten minutes, so go use the facilities now if you need to."

"Midoriya?" Iida called, seeing his expression.

"Yeah, I wonder if they're modeling this after Kamino."

"When we took Hotaru out of the villains' clutches, we intently focused on staying out of the pros' way, and amidst all that, there were quite a few casualties…"

"Less than if I hadn't gone back," I hummed, catching their gazes. "I know how this works better than most."

"Do you have any advice?" Iida asked as I sat in front of them and tipped my head slightly.

"Don't care about schools or competing. This is a rescue op, so everyone here is an ally trying for the same goal. Work with everyone."

They nodded as some more of our class gathered to listen.

"Use your Quirks for what they're best at, but always be prepared for things to change. Act like a villain could pop out at any second." _Damn, nearly forgot Orca is supposed to show up. Todoroki and Inasa are supposed to fight too. Ugh, what a pain._ "And don't say anything stupid. You're rescuing scared, traumatized people. They just want a hero to tell them they're safe. Stay on top of things and look at the whole situation before you act. Surroundings are _not_ going to be stable and you need to take that into account. Which reminds me…" I stepped away from the group. "Yayorozu, could I bother you for some supplies?"

Her, Uraraka, and Ashido crowded around me, eyes sparkling.

"You're a dog!"

"So cute!"

"Can you do tricks?"

I sweatdropped. "I… I'm still Hotaru, you know."

They leaned forward eagerly, and I sighed, sitting, barking, rolling over and offering a paw to shake, much to their amusement.

"Ah, a dog! How cool!"

My eye twitched as Inasa's grinning face popped up in my line of sight.

"Can you play dead?"

"I'll make _you_ play dead in a minute, you grinning dolt," I snapped, rising with my teeth bared but he just laughed.

"Oh, it's a Quirk! That's great! I love dogs!" He beamed, patting my head fondly.

"Don't pat my head! What did I tell you about touching people without permission, Inasa!"

He paused before his smile grew. "Hotaru! I didn't recognize you! Is this your Quirk? Can you turn into dogs?"

_Why do all the smart people act like idiots in this world?_ I mentally complained, sighing and relaxing slightly.

"I can change into any animal," I grumbled. "Just think this one will help me the most in this next round."

"I see! That's a useful Quirk!" He smiled, holding out a hand and raising a piece of food up. "Shake!"

My brow twitched in annoyance—_this is why I don't like changing into domestic pets_—as a hair-covered classmate of his headed over.

"Everything all right, Yoarashi?"

Inasa turned to him with a grin. "Look! Hotaru's a dog!"

I locked eyes with him, undoubtedly expressing my displeasure as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm really sorry about him."

I begrudgingly lifted my paw and dropped it into Inasa's waiting hand, ignoring how he practically sparkled when I did.

"It's fine. I'm surrounded by idiots. My classmates already had me doing tricks."

He cracked a closed-eye smile. "Well, so long as you're not offended. I want to build a good relationship with U.A. from here on out. I apologize for his behavior."

The others behind me looked uncertain, but I hummed.

"Then, I can trust we'll all work together for this next round?"

He paused, eyeing me.

"Rescue missions mean lives come first, not some competition non-sense," I continued, trying to figure out if he meant what he was proposing. "Working together with everyone is our best shot of passing and is required out in the field. Don't you think?"

"… You're right," he finally replied, tipping his hat slightly. "We look forward to working with you, Hotaru."

"Same," I nodded, only to glare at Inasa. "That means you better put aside whatever Todoroki's done to piss you off for this round."

Inasa frowned, getting serious.

"Solve your problems _outside_ of an exam, not during it. If this were real, you'd be risking people's lives. I highly suggest you remember that once this starts."

He only gave Todoroki a brief glance before walking off with the rest of his class. _Hope he listens. I __**really**__ don't want to be cleaning up after this mess._ We only had a moment longer to collect ourselves—myself finally getting a hold of Yayorozu for what I needed—and then it was time to start.

"Save as many lives as you can, even if it's just one!"

Everyone jumped out into the arena at the announcement, Midoriya taking point for a majority of our class.

"For the time being, let's head toward the closest cityscape and move as a team as much as possible!" He called out, finding a child quickly. "Already found a little kid!"

"You've gotta save him!" The kid wailed. "He's over there! Grandpa, he, he got crushed!"

"Oh, no. That's—"

I jumped off Midoriya's head, knocking him into the ground and approaching the kid with as sweet of a happy dog face as I could muster.

"Hey, it's all right, kid! I'll go find your grandpa while these heroes make sure you're safe. Midoriya will take you to the first-aid station since it looks like you're hurt, okay?"

He blinked at me, before continuing to cry. I mentally sighed in relief and looked at Midoriya.

"Remember what I said before. You have to judge a situation, calm them down and make sure they feel safe," I reminded him, glad when he scooped up the kid with a smile. I turned to the others. "I can locate those trapped. Uraraka, Mineta, you two can stabilize structures with Sero. Koda use nearby birds to get aerial views. Those with strength Quirks, help move debris but make sure everything is stable first and that removing it won't cause the victims more pain. I'm sure I don't need to keep telling everyone what to do, so I'm gonna head off. I'll bark or howl if I'm near you and found someone, okay?"

"Right!"

"Thanks, Hotaru!"

I rolled my eyes. "Just giving advice. Nothing big. Now, go on. Try to stick in groups."

I bounded off, alerting those nearby when I sniffed out trapped individuals and ensuring said people were being taken care of before dashing to the next. I felt the wind pick up and scowled, jumping off some flying rubble and grabbing a "baby" out of the air.

"Hold on, kid. Everything will be okay. Let me get you down from here," I hummed, landing in the middle of the Shiketsu group where Inasa beamed.

"Hotaru! Hello!"

I shot him a look as the hair-covered senior took the child from me. "You dunce! You need to be more careful! If these people were hurt before you did that, you could injure them further! And people are easily frightened if they are just thrown about with nothing to hold on to. Using your Quirk on rubble is fine but think about how people will feel before even considering using it on them!"

"The dog is right. Very sloppy! Points deducted!" The "baby" announced as Inasa gaped.

"I see! Pardon my mistake and thank you for the assist, Hotaru!"

"I'm helping everyone, like I said," I huffed, reaching back and pulling bandages and medical equipment from the vest I got Yayorozu to make me. "Here're some basic first aid supplies. Do what you can before taking them to the first aid station, especially if it's anything life-threatening or a broken bone."

"Thank you," the hairy senior hummed as I hurried off, spotting another trio struggling.

"There's someone in there, but they're not responding and it's too dark to get a good look inside!"

"I can squeeze through the gap," I informed them, landing beside the group. "I can give you something for treatment and pull them out."

"Could you? That would really help!"

I nodded, unbuckling my vest and shimmying out of it before crawling into the gap carefully. _Structure is stable and it's just wide enough for me and a person lying down. I'll do a basic first assessment to ensure moving them isn't too dangerous and figure out why they're not responding._ I located the older man, calling out and nudging his face with my nose to try and get a response._ He's got a head injury, _I noticed as he groaned quietly. _I'm not seeing broken bones and his pulse and breathing are good._

"Sir, I'm going to try and get you out of here, okay? Try to stay conscious so we can get you the proper help. And let me know if anything hurts and I'll stop and see what I can do, okay?"

"O-Okay…"

I reached down and grabbed his shirt in my jaws, slowly sliding him back. He didn't scream or wail in agony from anything I may have missed, and soon, we were sliding out of the gap.

"Come help me out!" I called to the trio, one clearing a space as the other took the man. "He has a concussion at least. Pulse and breathing were good, and I didn't see anything further. He's semi-conscious now. I have bandages for his head. Use them and get him to first aid."

"Thank you for the help, um…"

"Hotaru from U.A."

"Right. Thanks, Hotaru."

I nodded, replacing my vest and heading towards the first aid station myself. _Most of the people are safe. I can help distribute medical supplies for now and comfort if needed. Dogs are helpful in keeping people calm and I need to be over there for when Orca shows up. Inasa and Todoroki end up causing more harm than good, so hopefully, I can prevent that._

"If they listen."

* * *

Midoriya reached the first aid station, eyeing the chaos.

"So many already?"

A woman offered to look at the child he brought, and he hastily handed him over.

"He has a head wound. There's a lot of blood but I don't think it's too deep. He's definitely alert enough to talk!"

"Good. Bring him to that space on the right!"

Midoriya nodded, moving the kid as a black and brown blur rushed by. "Ah! Hotaru!"

Hotaru paused, panting but giving a small wag of her tail. "Hey, Midoriya. Hey, kid. Feel better already?"

The kid smiled, patting her on the head before she tipped her head.

"Hey, look who I found."

"Grandpa!" The kid beamed, rushing over to an older man who took him happily.

Midoriya smiled, rubbing the back of his head. "Thanks, um… f-for before. Your advice really helped."

"Yeah, well… It's just understanding how people work. I've been running all over the place helping out, so you're not the only one. Rescuing is tough and there's a lot to think about all at once with a time crunch. I'm not smelling many people left though, but don't let your guard down."

"Right, but, um… what now?"

"Help people around here. Lift moral, mostly. Everyone's scared, heroes included. Talking helps. The kids like a little Quirk showing off. I've been running supplies round and offering comfort to the kids and the elderly. Being a dog has its perks," she mused, scratching her ear with a back foot. "Be ready for a twist though. It's gotten too easy, and if this is a terrorist attack simulation, then you can be sure—"

A big explosion interrupted her, sending her to her feet with a growl.

"—villains will take advantage of it."

"Guys! This is part of the exam!" Midoriya shouted back as the villains stepped out. "Gang Orca!"

"Dealing with enemies! Can you really handle both?" Orca smirked.

"The villains have shown up and they're on the move!" Mera announced. "You hero candidates on the scene will suppress the villain incursion all while continuing the rescue operation."

"You've got to be kidding me! We gotta fight too?" Mineta wailed.

"What's your move, heroes?" Orca questioned and Hotaru changed into a huge Sumatran Tiger.

"Those in the first aid station need to move civilians away!" She bellowed out. "Rescuers continue and those free need to split up! Defensive help move people, offensive start fighting! Keep the villains back! Wide-spread attacks are best and try to get a barrier between them and the injured! Move!"

Shindo dashed forward while Midoriya rushed back to evacuate.

"I'm gonna hit 'em with shock waves spaced at one-second intervals!" Shindo announced, taking out some of the small fry, but not seeing Orca move.

"Too slow," he growled only for Hotaru to grab his arm and throw him back.

"Not quite, Fish-Head!" She snarled, teeth and claws covered in hard steel. "Did you really think I'd let only one person stop you? You should know by now, I'm not stupid."

Orca rubbed at the metal bracers on his forearms, eyeing the dents in them. "You've gotten more annoying since internships, Hotaru," he grumbled. "But do you really think you can stop me? I know all your moves."

"Not all of them," Hotaru smirked. "And I've got backup. Todoroki!"

Ice flew past, slamming Orca back and wind soon joined it.

"Inasa too. See, Orca? I annoy more than just you, and I get comrades out of it."

"A villain incursion, is it?" Inasa grinned, pumped up. "What a heated turn of events they've decided to go with!" He spotted Todoroki then and scowled. "Why did _you_ have to show up?"

Hotaru snarled and immediately hollered up to him and Todoroki before they could continue.

"If you two fight right now, you'll _never _be heroes!"

They both paused, looking to her.

"You're gonna _have_ to fight villains with people you hate! Hell, All Might and Endeavor did it consistently! So, work together and fight, or people are gonna get hurt! And I will _personally_ tear you to shreds if you don't, exam or not!"

"Is now really the time for a pep talk?" Orca questioned, appearing directly in front of Hotaru, who smirked suddenly.

"You're awfully impatient, as expected."

Orca's eyes widened as the ground suddenly rose up at his feet, forcing him back.

"Thanks, Shindo, though I still dislike you," Hotaru hummed, making him scoff.

"The feeling's mutual."

Fire and wind rushed for Orca then, only to miss him and his lackeys completely.

"Why fire!" Inasa snapped at Todoroki. "The heat made my wind rise!"

"Coz he blocked my ice a second ago. I thought you came here to help? So, stop blowing my flames off course!"

"Yeah? Well, you're still trying to steal all the glory!"

"That's rich, coming from you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I shouldn't be surprised, after all, you're Endeavor's son!"

"This whole time… what the hell is your problem? My father's got nothing to do with it!"

"I said… get a grip!" Hotaru shouted, grabbing Todoroki and throwing him into Inasa, both falling to the ground stunned as she towered over them with a growl. "Last fucking time. I don't give a _shit_ about your problems. Fight together properly, or I will pin you both and _let_ them cover you with cement. I'll throw you out of the fucking arena or bury you up to your necks. People are in _danger_. Your bickering could put _more_ people in danger, could put me or Shindo in danger. So, this is your last chance. Can you do this right, or not?"

"…Fine," Todoroki bit out and Inasa nodded.

"Then, fucking do it," Hotaru snapped, whipping around and tackling a lackey who'd made to shoot them, throwing him into three others before rounding on Orca.

"You've certainly gotten better at the pep-talks, but this ain't exactly the time for all that when facing down villains."

"Better here than out there," Hotaru snapped as Orca cracked his knuckles.

"Let's see if your hand-to-hand has improved."

More lackeys went after Hotaru, who was quick to dodge and throw them.

"You've got teeth and claws, why don't you use them?" Orca noted, making Hotaru hesitate an attack and earn a harsh kick to the side. "Ah, but so long as you're occupied, I bet I can slip past the two bickering annoyances."

"Do something!" Hotaru shouted at the others, who once again attempted to fight Orca.

Wind and fire flew at once as a blast of cement hit Todoroki's right arm, but they _still_ weren't cooperating.

"Again?" Inasa shouted, but they had a bigger problem.

This time, Hotaru's prediction came true. The wind had blown Todoroki's fire off course, right toward Shindo, who had just been paralyzed by Orca only a moment ago. Ablur of orange leaped over the rest of the lackeys and Shindo was thrown upwards as Hotaru tried to dodge the flames.

"Midoriya!"

Midoriya caught Shindo as the flames hit, shouting at the two who caused the problem. "What's the big idea!"

Tired of wasting time, especially now that Inasa and Todoroki had screwed up this badly, Orca rushed forward.

"That wind's getting on my nerves," he grumbled, launching a sonic attack towards Inasa just as he got pinned by concrete.

Unexpectedly, he was grabbed by the ankle before it could hit him, and Orca eyed the person who saved him.

"You don't know how to stay down, do you?"

Hotaru growled, fur singed and fire still licking at her skin, almost unnoticed.

"That self-sacrificing still keeps hold of you, I see. Could cause problems, especially if the enemy can tell." Orca snapped to Todoroki's side, reaching out to grab him, only for jaws to clamp down onto his arm hard. "Like that," he smirked, using his Quirk on her as Todoroki fell to the ground in shock.

Hotaru was pulled off Orca's arm and dropped haphazardly on the ground, paralyzed as Orca narrowed his gaze at Todoroki.

"Now that she's out of the way, let's deal with you two."

Orca's lackeys rushed towards the evacuating people, leaving Midoriya and Shindo to try and block their way. Wind flew towards Orca though, Inasa finally understanding his mistake now that Hotaru had been taken out because of him. Todoroki too understood and added fire carefully, grabbing Hotaru and moving back to a safer distance. Fire and wind raged together, surrounding Orca and making his lackeys pause in their advancement.

"I'm… sorry, Hotaru," Todoroki apologized, using his ice to try and cool her burns.

She growled, not pleased obviously. "Pay attention. H-He won't stay down. The others are coming. You idiots need to make them an opening."

Todoroki nodded as Inasa landed beside him. "You hear that?"

Inasa hummed. "Make an opening. Will do."

"A red-hot prison of fiery wind," Orca mused, drawing their attention. "It's a decent idea. If I was an ordinary villain, I might surrender and beg for mercy. However, that just ain't the case. From the second you hit me with this, I was already planning my next move." He screeched, scattering wind and flames. "Well? What now!"

Midoriya flew down from above, slamming a hard kick down onto Orca's arm as he blocked it. "Please get away from them!"

Before they could continue though, a buzzer went off and Mera cleared his throat.

"Every last H.U.C. member on the field has been rescued from impending danger. Therefore, I declare that this test is over!"

"It's over?" Midoriya gaped, backing off.

"The results will be announced once all scores are tallied. Those with injuries, please proceed to the medical area. Everyone else, get changed and standby for instructions."

Orca's lackeys slowly returned.

"Big Fish, sir, sorry we screwed up so badly. And that restraint gear must've made it hard to move…"

"Heh," he chuckled lightly, scratching the side of his face as he approached Hotaru. "Speaking of screw-ups."

Hotaru glared. "If you're here to rant, then I'll change into something without ears. I don't want to hear it."

"U-Um…" Midoriya looked between the two uneasily as Orca reached down and threw Hotaru's limp body over his shoulder.

"I'll take her to the medical area. She'll join you shortly."

"R-Right! Thank you!"

He bolted off with Inasa and Todoroki trailing behind as Orca turned to drop off Hotaru.

"You're a troublesome bunch. Don't know how Eraser deals with you kids."

Hotaru scoffed. "Please. I'm practically a teachers' assistant with them. Morons don't listen for shit."

"Obviously. If they pass though, they owe it to you."

Hotaru managed to spare him a glance.

"Mera was complaining that you were making it difficult to deduct points," he clarified. "You kept showing up when people started to do something wrong."

"Told you you're not the only one I piss off."

"Hm. You've certainly grown since I've last seen you," he commented, laying her down on the bed. "I don't think you would've ended up here otherwise… Did you finally find a reason to be a hero?"

Hotaru let out a huff. "I don't need a reason."

Orca cracked a smirk, catching her looking away in embarrassment and he placed a hand on her head, surprised her. "Good luck, kid. I look forward to fighting _with you_ next time we meet."

"Yes, sir," she mumbled, unable to help the small smile that formed on her face.

* * *

I rubbed the back of my neck as I left the medical area to join the others, glad Aizawa had dropped by to change me back and cancel out my Quirk. Recovery Girl wasn't there, so I'd been stuck with what first aid they could give me for my burns. They weren't too bad. The worst was a third-degree burn that wrapped around my left calf, making me limp as I approached Class A.

"Ah, Hotaru! A-Are you okay?" Midoriya questioned, seeing the bandages poking out of my sleeves and around my right hand.

"Yeah. They went a little crazy with the bandages, but they wanted to keep the burns clean. They're only second-degree."

A tongue whipped out and smacked the back of my head.

"Get rid of the 'only,'" Asui scolded, making me chuckle awkwardly.

I caught sight of Todoroki then, who was quick to look away. Midoriya had spotted the exchange as well.

"Do you think he feels guilty? F-For what happened, I mean."

"Good. He should."

"H-Hotaru!" Midoriya wailed, trying to quiet me down and checking to see if Todoroki had heard.

_I know he did. I saw him twitch._ "Yeah, I mean, he's some big hot-shot, right?" I continued, raising my voice as my eyes burned holes into the back of his head. "He childishly let someone's words bother him to the point of fighting in the middle of an exam and hurting me in the process."

I was drawing attention to us, Inasa nearby also listening in as Todoroki clenched a hand into a fist at his side.

"Even though I gave him and Inasa multiple warnings, trying to get them to work together, they still went and screwed it up!"

"H-H-Hotaru! T-They can hear you!" Midoriya attempted to stop me again.

"Good, cos I want them to hear this and know…" I cracked a smirk. "…they may be idiots, but I forgive them."

Todoroki finally turned, eyes wide as Inasa fought back a grin with tears in his eyes.

"I mean, we can't get along with everyone," I shrugged. "And this was just an exam, not anything crazy. I probably could have dodged if I wasn't so pissed off, so these injuries are my fault too. Just means they learned a good lesson, right, Icy-Hot?"

Todoroki went to argue, but stopped, turning away with a small nod and smirk. _God, he's so emo._ I rolled my eyes and pointed at Inasa.

"And don't you dare bow to me again, you giant oscillating fan! Just behave next time!"

He saluted instead, beaming away. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Don't call me ma'am, you overpowered, scentless air-freshener!"

Mera cleared his throat to do the announcements as the people around us chuckled. _Idiots. I was just trying to relax everyone. I got lucky it worked out and I could honestly care less about this exam. I can just take it again if I don't pass. _I yawned as the names went up, only to nearly choke when Iida suddenly slammed a hand down hard on my shoulder, making me stumble a bit.

"You passed too, Hotaru! That's great!"

The others nodded.

"Yeah, especially after all the help you gave us," Yayorozu hummed. "Congratulations."

"Who didn't pass?" I asked, Midoriya hesitantly speaking up.

"Todoroki and Kacchan…"

"I assume you've all had a chance to view the results," Mera continued. "Next, we'll be handing out score sheets. We've explained the scoring system in detail, so read them over carefully. It was a punitive scoring system with a threshold of fifty points. On your score sheets, you'll see how many points you lost for each given action."

I took my sheet and blinked. _What the… This can't be right._

"How'd you do, Iida? Hotaru?" Midoriya asked.

"Eighty," Iida replied. "They say I didn't make good, practical use of my talents. And you, Midoriya?"

"I got seventy-one points. It wasn't because of something I did, but my behavior _before_ taking action. I lost points for hesitating and stuff. What about you, Hotaru?"

"I… T-There must be something wrong."

"What?"

"A typo or something? This _can't_ be right."

"What do you mean?" Iida asked and I slowly handed him the paper for the two to look at.

"It's… blank."

"A h-hundred points?" Midoriya screeched, drawing the rest of our class over.

"What are you talking about?" Kaminari scoffed, taking the paper. "There's no way Hotaru got… a… perfect score?" His mouth dropped open in shock. "What the hell! H-How!"

"I-I don't know!" I countered, more than stunned myself. "Like I said, it's _got_ to be a mistake!"

"It's not a mistake," Aizawa said, strolling over languidly. "They thought about deducting points for you arguing with Todoroki and Inasa but decided against it at the last second. Other than that, anything you did wrong was too minor for point deductions. You did good, Hotaru. Congratulations."

* * *

My timer went off and I scowled, turning it off and stretching my arms above my head. _I'd normally curse having to do these routine checks at night, but it's not like I have anything better to do. The nightmares just won't let up._ Sighing, I grabbed my empty cup of tea, marked my place in the novel I'd been reading, and made to get a refill. As I poured, I caught sight of someone outside. _Two_ someones.

_Bakugou's "discussion" with Midoriya then. What a pain._ I checked the time, grumbling. _It's late. Wonder if he's even awake. He won't be pleased, but they gave me this job. Better do it right._ I dialed the number on my cell phone—given to me by the school—and took a sip of my tea, wincing when it scalded my tongue. _Forgot I just refilled it._

"_What do you want, brat? You should be sleeping. Recovery Girl wouldn't be thrilled if she knew you were up._"

"You're the ones who wanted me to do periodic checks at night. I just happened to be up," I hummed, blowing on my tea. "Thought you should know, I just spotted Bakugou and Midoriya heading towards Ground Beta. Gonna fight about something, probably. You want me to stop them? Or, well, try anyway."

"_Idiot kids. I'll be there in a minute. Don't interfere for now. Standby unless one of them gets out of hand._"

"How far is 'out of hand'?"

"…_No broken bones. Nothing requiring Recovery Girl to repair immediately. Everything else is fine. They can heal the normal way if they want to break rules._"

"All right. See you in a bit, I guess."

He hung up and I sighed.

"And I just made more tea. What a pain."

I set my cup back on the table and opened my kitchen window. I changed into a large Great Horned Owl and flew out into the night silently. It was easy to find the two, who had already started fighting, and I settled on a nearby light post that had gone out as Bakugou slapped Midoriya's hand away and screamed.

"Just fight! I mean, what the hell! How! How'd I end up chasing after a dweeb who was always playing catchup! Why'd a twerp like you get that kind of power! You got All Might to recognize you. You got way stronger! Why was it my fault that Hotaru ended up out there! Why was it me who put an end to All Might!"

I blinked, rather surprised and realizing now that I had forgotten something very important. Bakugou was a deep, complicated person. Someone who got jealous and was easily shattered, covering up pain by staying away from everyone and fist-fighting to express emotions. I hadn't thought he'd still feel guilty about my ending up in his place. _I hadn't even noticed how he'd distanced himself from me since then. It was painfully obvious, and yet… Shit. Is this fight partially __**my**__ fault?_

The two went back to fighting, Midoriya finally hitting back as he too seemed to understand how much Bakugou needed this. After a moment though, I considered stepping in. Bakugou was using his Quirk more—Midoriya hitting harder, faster. Then, Midoriya was pinned and I spotted the other person who was to blame for their fight.

"That'll be the end of it, you two," All Might said, stepping forward. "I'm sorry, but I took the liberty of eavesdropping on you… I'm sorry for not realizing it," he apologized to Bakugou, who stood.

"Now, you?" Bakugou turned away. "Why Deku? Ever since the time with the sludge villain, why was it this guy?"

"Despite being powerless, he was more of a hero than anybody else. I judged it was my responsibility to help him stand in the arena and not you, who had long already been standing in it."

"But I'm weak," Bakugou bit out. "Even though all I wanted to do was become strong like you! But cos I'm weak, Hotaru got caught and now you're like this!"

"This is _not_ your fault!" All Might pressed, heading over and pressing Bakugou's head to his chest fondly. "All roads come to an end. It was going to turn out like this no matter what. You are strong. But you know, I concentrated too much on that strength. I let you bear too much. I'm sorry. You're a young man too."

Bakugou slapped his hand away, moving out of the embrace, but All Might didn't care.

"I've been a hero for a long time, and here's what I think. To obsess over victory—the way you do, young Bakugou—and to want to rescue who is in trouble—the way you and Hotaru do, young Midoriya. If you're lacking in one or the other, you won't be able to maintain your own sense of justice as a hero. In the way that young Midoriya longed for young Bakugou's strength, and in the way that young Bakugou feared young Midoriya's spirit. Your feelings are all out in the open now, and now… You both get it now, don't you? If the two of you can recognize each other and honestly raise each other up, you can become the best heroes, who both win and rescue."

Bakugou slowly sank to the ground, hiding his face in his arms. "That… That's not what I wanted to ask about. You."

Midoriya flinched.

"If you've got the strongest person helping you out, you can't be losing."

"I'll get stronger so that I can beat you," Midoriya said confidently.

"Who else knows about you and Deku's relationship?" Bakugou asked All Might.

"Recovery Girl and the principal. Among the students, only you and—"

"Me," I interrupted, landing on Bakugou's head and tugging at his hair. "Your little speech was cute, but I didn't save you from those villains so you could go around moping about it, Hot-Head. I'd have done it for anyone, so don't go thinking you're special."

He glared, eyebrow twitching in annoyance as Midoriya held out his hands in concern.

"H-Hotaru!"

"What? It's been _ages_ since the kidnapping and he's still fussing over something that was entirely out of his control? I should pluck out _all_ his hair for avoiding me this whole time," I complained, using my beak to tug on a few strands only to have to dodge a fiery fist, landing on All Might's shoulder.

"I didn't ask for you to save me, bird-brain!" He snapped as I shrugged.

"But I did. What's done is done and you need to get over it. If anyone wasn't strong enough in that situation, it was me. You got caught by surprise and couldn't use your Quirk. I wasn't keeping a good enough eye on you and Todoroki in the back, and even _with_ my Quirk, I wasn't fast enough to escape. I was even there with All Might and he still turned into this skeleton. Trust me when I say none of us would've been strong enough to face All for One, whether I took your place or not."

Bakugou huffed and I fluttered back to his shoulder with a cheeky grin.

"Besides, your mom would've scolded you for ages if you were caught, right? I saved you from getting smothered by parental love. That deserves a thanks, don't you think?"

He scoffed, glancing away. "Thanks," he muttered, earning a chuckle from me as Midoriya spoke up.

"Um, what are you doing here anyway, Hotaru?"

"Weren't you listening the first day of moving in? I do periodic checks at night if I'm awake. I spotted you two leaving and called it in."

"Y-You called All Might?"

I snorted—something I didn't think could be done with a beak. "No. I called Aizawa. You two are in trouble, moron. Do you want me to list the rules you broke?"

Midoriya slumped. "No…"

"Whatever," Bakugou grumbled. "You don't want people to find out, do ya, All Might? Since you've been trying to hide it, I won't say anything to anyone. I won't go blabbing like shithead Deku over here, okay?"

All Might nodded. "This secret stays with us."


	13. Chapter 13

**This is the beginning of season 4 of the anime, just as a warning to those who haven't watched it yet. The chapters after this may have spoilers to what happens later on that the anime hasn't covered yet.**

* * *

The next semester began and with it came my release from house arrest, though they still wanted me in charge of the dorms and the two now placed _under_ house arrest. It also meant a long lecture from Recovery Girl, who had found out about my insomnia and not-so-great diet. Placed once again on a weight-gain, muscle-building enhancement diet, now coupled with medication for sleeping, and the new school year started normally. Or, mostly normal. _I forgot about hero internships._ I realized as we returned to the dorms for the evening. _That weirdo All Might clone is supposed to be there and whip our butts. I've gotta come up with a way to outmaneuver him. Knowing his Quirk this early helps, but he's very troublesome and far too happy for my tastes._

"What's the deal with this dust, Bakugou?" Mineta teased, making Sero laugh as Bakugou shouted.

"That was all Deku! Piss-off, you asshole!" He whipped around to Midoriya as he picked up trash. "You dumbass, do you not know how to clean either!"

"S-S-Sorry! I'm going to go and take out this trash from everyone's rooms."

The other Class A students were more worried about something else though.

"Yo, about Mic's class today…"

Kirishima nodded, pale. "You too?"

"I'd never learned that grammar before."

"Ah, yeah, that! Man, it took me by surprise too! I forgot to prepare for the lesson too…"

"if you stumble once, then everything else after just goes out the window."

Jiro looked to Ojiro. "Hey, about the internship stuff. None of us made any connections, so does that mean we can't do it?"

"I really want to though…"

"Can't you just go back to the place where you did your field training? Maybe they'll take you back?"

Iida suddenly swooped over to Midoriya. "'After just one day, I feel so out of the loop!' That's what the look on your face is saying, Mr. House-Arrest."

"Don't call me that! Hey, Iida, what's this internship stuff?"

"I'm mad at you right now! I was also expressly forbidden from relaying any information from class to you! I'm sorry, but the two of you are getting your just desserts! Do you hear me, Bakugou!"

"Shut the hell up, you four-eyed prick!"

"Oi, jailbirds," I called out, watching them both turn to me. "I'm not exclusively singling you out, but I'll be going over Mic's English lesson for the more inept students after dinner. If you happen to be there, I won't kick you out."

Midoriya looked at me in shock. "H-Hotaru! My savior!"

I flushed, taking a step back. "Y-Yeah, well, if it helps, we don't know shit about the internships either. They were brought up in passing. We'll learn more once you two are back in class, I think. If not, I'll keep you up to date. Not much they can do to stop me."

"Thanks so much!" Midoriya beamed, an extra skip in his step as he bounded off to take out the trash.

I scratched at my scar awkwardly, trying to get the red out of my cheeks before someone noticed.

"Hm?" Mineta crept around my side with a cocky grin. "Is that a hint of red on your cheeks, Hotaru? Surely, you don't have _feelings_ for Midoriya. Gak!"

I glared down at him as he cradled the spot where I'd hit him upside the head. "You better learn to keep your nose out of other peoples' business, especially mine, or I'll be sure you join them in house arrest. I doubt you can keep up with the missed lessons in English, your poorest subject."

"Eep!" he squeaked, shakily plastering on a smile as he backed away. "W-Wow, um, I'll just… bye!"

He bolted away as I crossed my arms with a huff. _I __**don't**__ like Midoriya._ I winced as my heart skipped upon remembering his beaming grin.

"_Thanks so much!"_

Hastily, I shoved the memory aside, ducking into the kitchen to start cooking. _A-And even if I did…_ My gaze drifted to a certain pink-haired classmate as she giggled with Yayorozu. _He's got Uraraka. He wouldn't fall for some brute like me._ I turned away, trying to ignore the dark thoughts as I fried some vegetables. _I've got bigger things to worry about anyway. How am I going to fight someone who can phase through objects?_

* * *

After Midoriya's rather loud, enthusiastic apologies to everyone, Aizawa entered the classroom.

"Well, now that Midoriya has returned, let's formally talk about the internships. Come inside," he called out to someone outside of the class, perking some of the students up, whereas I just drummed my fingers on my jaw.

_Something with good hearing, good senses. I've got to be quick and agile, but smart. Even Midoriya struggled with him and he could predict him after only a moment._ A frown pressed my lips downward as the trio stepped in.

"Let's hear firsthand from those with personal experience how these internships are different from field training," Aizawa blabbered on as my eyes drifted closed.

_Maybe a bird of some kind? But that makes it hard to attack if I want to attack at all. Something else then. Something more dangerous._

_Blood dripped from my jaws as my gaze was filled with red._

_Just kill them. It'd be so easy._

I jerked out of the memory as Aizawa's scarf snapped my hand out from under my chin, sending my head to my desk with a painful "thud."

"Don't be rude, Hotaru, or you'll be running laps after class."

I grumbled, silently hating the fact that he knew I hated running more than detention or apology essays but I did as he said and paid more attention to "The Big Three."

"All right, could you all give us a brief self-introduction then? Starting with you, Amajiki."

His gaze swept over the class like a tidal wave, sending chills down peoples' spines and making their breath hitch. I, on the other hand, blinked. _Huh, intimidating but he's just bad with crowds, right?_

"It's no good, Mirio, Hadou… No matter how hard I try to think of them all as potatoes, everything except their heads just keeps its human form, and besides their heads, I can only see them as humans! What should I do…? The words… They won't come out."

I stood up, sending eyes to me as I raised my hand lazily. "Can I help?"

Two of the Big Three turned to Aizawa, who just pinched his brow with a sigh.

"Hotaru, sit _down_."

"Eh? I speak up to help and you shut me down?" I huffed, walking to the front of the class as Amajiki stiffened. "He feels uncomfortable talking to people, so what about this?"

I changed, looking up from the floor at him as a Golden Retriever puppy. The trio blinked in surprise—the female of the group looking about ready to strangle me with a hug along with the rest of my class. Amajiki though just stared.

"Not to your taste? What about this?"

I changed again and fluttered up to him as a Yellow Swallowtail butterfly, landing on a hand he extended.

"Better? Less human, right?"

"_Hotaru,_" Aizawa grumbled, but begrudgingly just glared as the girl beside us spoke up—Amajiki enthralled with staring at me as I wandered around his palm.

_Didn't know I could be bugs too. Just remembered he liked butterflies and thought I'd try it out. Felt like everyone in the room was going to jump me as that puppy. Good to know I can disarm a room with cuteness. _I glanced over as Nejire Hadou wandered the room asking everyone questions before Aizawa turned to the final person of the trio.

"I see you're all lacking any sort of rationality."

I snorted. "You only _now_ realized that?"

Aizawa's eyes flashed, canceling my Quirk and causing Amajiki to swiftly turn away to press his nose to the chalkboard, muttering about human-animal lies.

"Sit _down_."

I huffed, returning to my seat. "Stupid Aizawa. I _liked _Amajiki. Least he's not an idiot."

"Twenty laps after class."

"Oh, come on! Your hearing isn't _that_ good, old man!"

"Forty."

I groaned, forcing myself not to argue as I dropped my head onto my desk—the third senior stepping forward to try what the other two could not.

"The journey ahead—" He called out loudly, expecting an answer that didn't come. "That's where you say, 'will be full of difficulties!' All right! You all utterly fail at getting the point of the conversation!"

"Or maybe we don't want to be depressed by thinking our journey ahead will be full of difficulties," I grumbled. "And if anyone should get to the point of the conversation, it's you."

"Fifty laps."

My scowl deepened at Aizawa's addition to my punishment, but Mirio was eyeing me.

"Well, I can see from all your faces that you've got no clue what's going on, except you."

I nearly stiffened at his words, forcing myself to not show a reaction. _Another smart guy who acts like a moron, though there's no way he's figured out I know this is all going to happen. Reacting will only prove him right. Just ignore him and let him ramble._

"You acquired your provisional licenses as first years, is that right? Hm, this year's first years are really energetic, aren't they?"

Those words caused the other two senpai to perk up.

"Mirio?"

"How would you all like to team up and fight against me!"

"Huh?"

He winked. "It would make the most sense for them to witness and feel our own 'experience' with their bodies, wouldn't you say, Eraserhead?"

"…Do as you like."

My hand rose again. "What if we don't want to?"

Aizawa's eye twitched. "One hundred laps, and a week of house arrest."

"That supposed to scare me?" I quipped, earning a small wince from Midoriya.

"H-Hotaru. Wouldn't you at lease want the experience?"

"Not really," I muttered, sitting back and folding my arms over my chest. "And I don't like the look in his eyes. Why would I _want_ to walk into a fight? I'd rather run laps and clean. You want an apology letter too?" I smirked. "I'll even write it in English."

Aizawa's eyes narrowed, but before he could argue with me, Mirio spoke up.

"We'll buy you dinner."

I turned to him, eyeing him. "Who's we?"

He grinned, grabbing a startled Amajiki by the shoulders. "Amajiki will! All-you-can-eat barbeque!"

"W-What!" Amajiki sputtered, face going red.

"Hm… You like ramen?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Ramen instead. You buy, and I'll fight you."

"Of course!" Mirio accepted, pushing Amajiki out the door as Hadou giggled and bounded out with them. "Go change! We'll meet you all in Gamma Gym!"

The door closed and no one in Class A moved for a moment, except me as I grabbed my bag.

"D-Did Hotaru just bargain with them to go on a date?"

"Uh-huh."

"It's free food with someone more tolerable than that idiot," I argued, swinging my bag over my shoulder. "And they may act strange, but they know what they're doing, and I get the feeling we're going to learn a lot from them. Might as well milk it for all its worth. I plan on getting more out of this than just getting my butt kicked by a moronic, blond third-year. His face pisses me off."

The class sweatdropped, but got up as well to follow me out, all of us making for Gamma Gym. _Man, what a pain._

* * *

Mirio stretched as Class A entered the gym, his friends trying to talk him out of it as Midoriya eyed Hotaru, who was stretching as well ignoring everyone. _She's serious. More serious than I've ever seen. Are they really that good?_

"No matter what, you must not make it so these kids aren't able to get back on their feet anymore," Amajiki muttered, forehead pressed to a distant wall.

Hadou agreed, fiddling with Ashido's horns. "Ah, hey! Listen to this! Did ya know? A while back there was a kid who got so frustrated, he completely gave up becoming a hero and caused all sorts of problems! That Togata, he really had it rough! So, you really gotta think things through properly, or it will only be hard on you. _Really_ hard, okay?"

Tokoyami frowned. "Wait just a moment. Although we may have a handicap, we've got pros fighting on our side as well."

Kirishima agreed. "And we've got experience fighting villains too. Am I to interpret you all as worrying about us that much as you seeing us as nothing but small-fry?"

"Oi."

Everyone went silent at Hotaru's tone, looking to her as she crossed her arm over her chest in a stretch, eyes serious.

"Don't underestimate them. One look from Amajiki had every single one of you freezing up. You think that doesn't mean something?" Her gaze shifted over them coldly, making Kirishima and Tokoyami—along with a number of others—grow slightly sheepish. "We're not even fighting him, but don't be stupid enough to think you've got more experience than them just because of a villain fight or two. Most of you can't even beat me or some of the others in class. Don't jump into this headfirst without a plan and humble yourselves first. You'll never win _any_ fight if you go in automatically thinking you're better than your opponent. _Think_, idiots."

Mirio tipped his head curiously. "The voice of reason, eh? How about you and I fight first?"

"Aw, come on, Hotaru!" Kirishima complained, but Hotaru's eye twitched.

"No, thanks and I don't appreciate you getting in their heads already." _He picked me first to rile them back up again. My words don't matter now. Kirishima's picking a fight and the others will follow. I'm not stepping into this. They need to learn their lessons._

"I would like to go!" Midoriya called out, stepping to the front of the group as Hotaru eyed him for a second, before turning away and moving to the back.

"The problem child, eh!" Mirio grinned eagerly. "That's what I'm talking about! As I thought, you're full of energy!"

Midoriya charged his Quirk up as did the others, everyone charging in. Midoriya was the closest, but when Mirio's clothes suddenly fell through him, Jiro let out a scream.

"Your clothes! They just fell off!"

"Ah, please excuse me. It's difficult to fine-tune the adjustments, you see!" Mirio apologized, trying to pull his pants back up, only for Midoriya to swing a kick.

It passed right through.

"Straight to the face, huh?" Mirio commented as Midoriya was forced to dodge the other attacks people threw at Mirio—which also passed through him.

"Idiots," Hotaru muttered, hands tucked in her pockets as she stood a way away from the rest of Class A.

"He's gone!" Iida gaped as the smoke cleared, everyone mission Mirio popping up behind Jiro.

"I suppose I should start with the long-range ones, huh?"

"He teleported!"

"So, it's more than just slipping through things? Just how strong is this dude's Quirk?"

"All right, class!" Aizawa called out, knowing what was going to happen. "This is a great opportunity, so get yourselves roughed up a bit and learn from it!"

"Love the support, sensei," Hotaru grumbled.

"I don't exactly see _you_ doing anything," he commented.

"I tried, they ignored me. They get beat, that's their problem. Like you said, maybe they'll learn something."

He shook his head, calling out to them again. "Mirio Togata is, as far as I know, the very closest to becoming No. 1! And that includes the pros!"

Todoroki gaped from beside him. "In an instant, he took down over half of them, the man closest to No. 1."

"You've not going to join in?" Aizawa questioned. "You've got your eyes on becoming No. 1 too, don't you? Or are you going to wait like Hotaru?"

"No. I haven't obtained a provisional license yet."

"Not that he'd help much," Hotaru muttered. "No offense, but your Quirk is best used without so many people around. And because it's long-range, you'd probably join the rest of them," she hummed. "Curious why he thought to get them out of the way first. Our long-range fighters tend to not pack as much of a punch as the close-range."

Todoroki eyed her as she brought a hand to her chin in thought. "You… are rather terrifying when it comes to battle strategies."

Hotaru smirked at him as the last of the long-range fighters were taken out. "You know it."

"I have no idea how he's doing it!" Kirishima panicked. "He's already so strong by being able to phase through us, but teleportation too? Isn't he basically invincible?"

"Idiots," Hotaru huffed. "They'll never win thinking like that."

"There's got to be some sort of trick to it!" Midoriya concluded. "Whether he's using a phasing Quirk to teleport, or a teleportation Quirk to phase. Whatever it is, he'll be using a direct attack. If we aim for the moment to counterattack, we should be able to touch him! If we don't understand how he's doing it, then we've got to narrow down the possibilities using what you know! Either way, let's find the way to beat him!"

Hotaru snorted, stretching her arm over her head and heading forward.

"You're stepping in?"

"Midoriya's the only one doing something right. They're all about to be finished off anyway, so it's about time I do something."

"But what can _you_ do?" Todoroki questioned—not being rude but just not understanding how an animal-shifter could beat Mirio.

"Use my head. The one thing I'm exceptionally good at." She shrugged. "I'm going to get beaten too. I just want to last longer. This is teaching everyone else a lesson. It's just giving me an opportunity to be noticed. I don't typically enjoy showing off, but his face _really_ gets on my nerves."

Todoroki and Aizawa sweatdropped as she stepped forward and the rest of Class A were brought to their knees by an enthusiastic Mirio. A rock was thrown at the back of his head and it lightly bounced off it. making him rub the spot and turn with a curious hum.

Hotaru tossed another pebble up and down, shooting him a look. "You done, blondie?"

Mirio grinned. "Are you going to fight me too? Awesome! Though, I'm curious why you didn't join your fellow students initially."

She shrugged. "I warned them, and they ignored me. Sometimes letting their hard-heads get beat humbles them. They certainly learned not to be so cocky next time, eh, Kirishima?"

Kirishima groaned, holding his stomach. "Y-You can't beat him… He's invincible."

"You're right. I can't beat him, but he's not invincible. He's smart."

"Thank you for the compliment!" Mirio chirped, disappearing into the ground.

Hotaru didn't even move. "He's been doing what I've told all of you to do from day one. Train _everything_, don't underestimate people, and—"

Mirio jumped up from behind her, swinging a punch at her head. She ducked down, swinging her foot up to hit him. It phased through just as she grabbed a handful of dirt and tossed it into his face. His eyes clenched shut and she brought her foot back down, slamming into his back with a follow-up punch to the head—dropping him into the ground.

"Always have a counterattack."

Class A gaped as she put distance between her and Mirio, clapping her hands free of dirt. Even the other two third years and Aizawa were surprised.

"S-She hit him," Midoriya muttered in shock as Mirio started to push himself back up onto his feet.

"How?"

"Sorry about the underhanded tactic," Hotaru hummed, not _actually_ looking apologetic. "It was just a hunch that happened to pay off, is all. Didn't honestly think it'd work." She scratched at the scar down her face idly.

"But how! We couldn't lay a hand on him!" Iida complained.

"I used my head," Hotaru grumbled. "Weren't you listening? I mean, you all were so busy charging in to protect your pride because of some words. _I_ stayed back and watched. Partially for enjoyment, but I was watching him. His moves, tactics, speed, strategy. I doubt any of you thought twice about why he took out the long-ranged attackers first."

They sheepishly looked away as Mirio let out a loud laugh and rubbed the back of his head with a cheesy grin.

"Haha! It's been a long time since someone landed a hit on me. You're good! You remind me of Sir!"

Hotaru raised a brow. "Thanks?"

"Throwing dirt in my eyes was rather rude though."

She shrugged. "Villains don't play fair."

He tipped his head. "You're fighting me as if _you're_ a villain? Isn't it usually the other way around?"

"I couldn't see you as a villain if I tried," Hotaru deadpanned. "As it is, I can't take you seriously with that big, stupid, cartoonish grin on your face. You're worse than All Might."

"_And_ you don't like All Might? You're an interesting person, Hotaru!"

"…Right. Then, I can surrender without getting punched, right?"

"Nope!" He chirped, sinking into the ground again as Hotaru groaned.

"Oh, come on!" She complained once he was above ground again, dodging hit after hit. "I know I can't beat you, just let me _not_ get hit! I have to run laps after this, you know!"

"You haven't even used your Quirk yet!"

"Because it's absolutely useless in this situation and I'd rather not get punched across the field, you steroid-filled Ken doll!"

"No more tricks up your sleeve?"

"The dirt won't work twice and you're faster, stronger _and_ more experienced than me! My options are limited! Whoa!" She barely dodged a punch toward the right side of her face and Mirio blinked as her foot phased through his chin.

"Your reactions are a half-second slower on the right. Could it be that you can't—" He was cut off as a gym jacket was thrown through his face and a foot hit him in the side. "Oof!"

Hotaru had gone dead silent, expression pinched with a threatening glare. "Finish that sentence and you'll have a lot more problems than what you're dealing with now."

Mirio eyed her, eyes getting serious. "Fight me seriously then."

"You'll kill me," she argued. "As it is, you're holding back."

"So are you."

"You're _really_ fucking annoying."

He cracked a grin. "Thank you!"

"That wasn't a compliment!" She shouted, charging in with more speed and swifter, harder attacks.

Mirio phased, dodged and dove underground only to shoot back up and realize she was gone.

"Where—"

A ruffle above him shot his eyes upward at Hotaru as a red-tailed hawk. She dove downward and he dodged back but didn't expect her to change. He'd dodged a bird's attack, but he hadn't moved far enough away to dodge the jaguar that landed on top of him; claws managing to nick his side before he phased through the growling, spotted cat that was quick to put distance between them. Hotaru paced, ears back and teeth bared in a snarl—her and Mirio completely forgetting about the audience they had.

"I've never seen someone keep him on his toes like that before except Sir," Amajiki muttered.

Aizawa hummed. "She's smart, but he made her serious. That's the only reason why they've continued for this long. She's already accomplished her goal of being noticed. Mirio's interested in what she has to offer in a fight. Though, I don't expect it will last much longer."

"Why's that?" Todoroki asked, watching the two.

"She has three, maybe five changes max. She's used two and as she said, she's running out of tricks. That usually leads to—" Aizawa cut himself off as Hotaru went to dodge again only to change into a red panda and get promptly kicked across the field as she'd predicted. "—her Quirk acting up," Aizawa finished with a sigh as Mirio scrambled over to check on Hotaru.

"Ah! Are you all right?"

She groaned, rolling onto her feet and glaring at him. "I _told_ you, I'm not cut out for this kind of fight."

"Well, you did good! Amazing, in fact!" He beamed, reminding her of Inasa as he picked her up and held her in front of him. "And you can change into such cute things too! That's very useful and disarming!"

The reddish fur hid the pink in Hotaru's cheeks at being called cute, but it was quickly gone when Mirio tucked her under his arm like a football and strolled over to the recovering students of Class A.

"Whew! Just managed to keep the jewels under wraps! My apologies for all that, ladies! And so, that's the gist of it!"

"Without understanding how, all of us only suffered punches to the gut."

"Speak for yourself," Hotaru grumbled as Aizawa used his Quirk to change her back.

"Was my Quirk strong?" Mirio questioned.

"Too strong!"

"It's unfair! How am I supposed to feel!" Ashido complained. "Not only phasing but teleportation too? Are you one of those hybrids like Todoroki!"

"Oh, oh! I know about his Quirk! Let me tell them! Let me tell them! Perm—"

"Hadou," Amajiki stopped her. "Right now, it's Mirio's time."

"I've only got one Quirk!" Mirio explained. "It's called, 'Permeation!' Those movements you guys are calling 'teleportation'—just as you and Hotaru thought; it's just an application of my Quirk!" He looked at Hotaru. "I think you understood it the best, right, Hotaru?"

"You can phase into the ground, but becoming solid again shoots you back out or something, right?"

"Absolutely!" He said, giving them a bit more detail before Asui mentioned his Quirk being strong. "Not at all. It's strong because I _made_ it strong, something Hotaru has apparently been trying to teach you."

"I just brought it up. I'm not their teacher," she grumbled, glancing at Aizawa only for him to smack the back of her head with his scarf, earning a few chuckles.

"But how was Hotaru able to hit you when we couldn't?" Iida asked.

"Because she took advantage of what she'd seen by watching us fight! Even the simplest movements require a set of operations."

"I hit him the first time because I assumed, he'd need a lot of concentration to keep parts of him solid and control which parts phased through things," Hotaru explained. "Him struggling to keep his clothes on proved that. When he phased through my kick, I threw dirt. He would have needed to concentrate on phasing each particle of dirt through him leaving him wide open, or take the dirt to the face and leave him blind for a couple of attacks. It was a hunch like I said. I guessed on how well he could concentrate and used that to plan an attack."

"And the bird? How did that work?" Midoriya asked as Hotaru ran a hand through her hair.

"When he dodged, he never moved back farther than necessary. He calculated the range of an attack and moved just outside of it. Most people do. So, I attack as something small only to change last second to something bigger. He dodged the small attack, not expecting something with a bigger range."

Mirio bobbed his head repeatedly. "Prediction is the most critical skill of all! It's the way to be faster than your surroundings. The way to trick time. And the thing that makes those predictions possible is experience! Predictions are built on experience! It took a little bit of time, but that's why I wanted to play this game with you all. Instead of with words, I want to show you with my experience!

"In these internships, we are no longer treated like 'guests,' but rather we act as sidekicks for the pros! And that is a very terrifying thing. There have been instances where people have died. Nonetheless, no matter how scary or difficult the thought may be, all of it is an invaluable experience that you cannot get in school. With the experience I gained from my internship, I was able to transform my powers and reach the top! And for that reason, scary or not, this is an opportunity you cannot miss out on, first years!"

* * *

I chomped down on an iron supplement in bitter annoyance. I'd just come from a meeting with Recovery Girl, who'd scolded me for exhausting myself running laps the other day and for not sleeping right. She discovered I had an iron deficiency and demanded I take supplements for that along with sleeping medication at night. It was a pain, but not as much as the dinner I'd gone to with Amajiki and a certain uninvited guest.

"_Hello again, Hotaru!"_

"_You're damn lucky there's free food involved, or I'd leave right now, Mirio."_

"_You wouldn't abandon Amajiki, would you? Look at all the effort it took him to get here!"_

"_No… What the hell do you want though? You said it'd just be us."_

"_I have a proposition for you!"_

I looked up at the office with a frown. _Sir Nighteye, eh? A man who lives off humor, but can predict the future… How tough._ I rubbed at my scar, nearly decking Mirio when he dropped a hand on my shoulder.

"You ass! You _know_ I can't see from that side, so why do you insist on being there!" I snapped at him in annoyance, but my frustration rolled right off him.

"It's good training!"

"Then, I'll be sure to punch you every time you do it," I grumbled, spotting a gaping Midoriya pointing at me mutely. "Hey, Midoriya."

"Y-You're here for an internship too?"

I grunted. "Yeah, smiley-moron over here insisted I try it out. Not like I have anything better to do."

Mirio clapped me hard on the back, earning a glare. "That's the spirit! And I failed to mention this before, but Sir is quite strict."

"And?" I muttered though Midoriya shivered.

"He's tough on both himself and others. He's a hero famous for doing his job with a stoic demeanor. Even from the other side of the screen, his sharp glare sent a chill down my spine."

"Well, there's that too, but… Sir has another side to him that he doesn't show to the media. If you don't want to be turned away at the front door, from now until you're finished talking with Sir, it's absolutely imperative that you make him laugh at least once."

"Huh? W-What's that even mean? Make him laugh?"

"You see, Sir is, uh… Above all else, he holds humor in high regard," Mirio said as we entered the building. "The most I can do for you is an introduction. Sir will be the one to decide whether or not you'll be of use to him. I want to help you both as much as I can, but… from here on out, you've got no choice but to make Sir acknowledge you on your own."

"Great. It's like Orca all over again," I grumbled, earning a curious look from Mirio until Midoriya questioned him.

"I know it's a little late to be asking about this, but… why are you being so good to me even though we just met?"

_Because he's insane like All Might,_ I mused.

"It's not as if I was trying to be good to you or anything, but you've got a crazy objective and you're doing your absolute best to realize that objective. If there's someone in trouble or who needs help, meddling in their affairs is standard protocol for a hero, isn't it?"

I prodded him in the cheek, stopping his grin. "Where the hell was that smile earlier? It's _way_ less stupid than your usual one."

"H-Hotaru!"

"What? Him and All might always have those stupid fake grins on. It's such a pain. You don't want to be happy, then fucking don't," I huffed. "It's not like I care about you keeping your hero façade."

Mirio grinned, ruffling my hair as I growled in complaint and we approached a door. "Now then! It's just beyond that door! If you wish to become stronger, then you must open it by yourselves!"

Midoriya hesitated to open it, but I just rolled my eyes and grabbed the handle.

"It's just a door, moron."

What we opened it up to though, was a little unexpected and very awkward. A sidekick strapped to a tickling device was _not_ the way I wanted to see my possible boss.

"Seriously, what the hell is this place!" Midoriya screeched. "What's going on here!"

"Bubble Girl, his sidekick," Mirio introduced. "It seems she didn't have enough humor, did she?"

Sir Nighteye whipped around with a glare and Midoriya covered his face for a moment before snapping it back up with a face similar to All Might's. _How the—You know what? I don't want to know._

"I'm surrounded by idiots," I sighed under my breath.

"I'm Midoriya Izuku!"

I lifted my hand lazily, doubting that anyone was paying me any attention. "Hotaru Mirai."

Sure enough, Sir's gaze was set solely on Midoriya's.

"Are you making fun of All Might? You little bastard. What are you playing at, wearing that face?" Sir growled, pushing up his glasses as he stalked forward. "Are you in shock, having realized that I'm All Might's former sidekick?"

"Ah! I-I… That's—"

Sir grabbed Midoriya's face, pulling at his cheeks. "All Might doesn't have wrinkles like these! For his normal face, the wrinkles beneath his eyes are approximately—"

_Blah, blah, All Might, blah, _I mentally sighed, shifting my weight to my other foot and pulling out my phone to play a game while the two nerds conversed vague All Might knowledge. _Why did Mirio think I should intern under him again? I'm hardly the humorous type. And I don't like All Might much either. The only thing we have in common is the burden foreknowledge puts on our shoulders. Mirio doesn't know about that, and I can't exactly discuss it with Sir either. Not like this anyway. He'll probably just get pissed off. _Someone cleared their throat and Mirio nudged me, drawing my attention to Sir as he eyed me from his desk.

"Oh. Are you all done nerding out?" I questioned, ignoring Sir's glare as I put my phone away. _About time._

Sir didn't reply. "In order to exceed your current level of strength, you wish to intern under me, is that right?"

_Duh. That's the whole point of an internship._

"Yes, sir! I beg of you!" Midoriya said loudly.

"About the contract—"

"I've got it right here!" Midoriya cut him off, making his frown deepen slightly.

"Do not interrupt me while I'm talking. If I provide my stamp on that sheet of paper, the contract will be made official."

_Again, duh._

"That's correct!"

"This is far from your usual, carefree internship that you'd get from a common business, where you only work for one day to a week," Sir explained. "At the very least, you will be employed for over a month, of course, you will receive compensation. Although you are still first years with a large class load, you will be forced to take many authorized absences. You'll find yourself unable to keep up with your classmates."

I couldn't stand it anymore. "Are you going to keep telling us the obvious or get to the point? We wouldn't be here if we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into."

Midoriya fidgeted, eyeing me like he was going to give his usual complaint towards my rudeness, but instead, he placed both our contracts on Sir's desk. "I have to match their pace, or I'll never make it to the top!"

Sir slammed his stamp down just to the side of both sheets.

"Um… you missed," Midoriya muttered.

"That's because I don't feel like stamping it," Sir replied, slamming the stamp down repeatedly. "I'm already well aware of the merits that you would reap from working here. However, how am I benefited by employing you? This office gets by just fine with two sidekicks and one student intern. How exactly would I profit from taking you in? What can you contribute to society? How can you be of benefit to others? If you wish for me to acknowledge you, you must demonstrate that to me. All Might demonstrated it using his abundant power and humor. He granted hope to those frightened by crime and that is why the masses accepted him."

"How can I be useful to society?" Midoriya breathed out as I scratched at my scar.

_What a loaded question… and what a pain._

"What profits can my company gain from your presence?" Sir continued, moving around his desk. "You are to demonstrate that to me. Not with words, but with actions. Three minutes. I challenge you to take this stamp from me in three minutes. If you wish to work at my company as a hero, then stamp your papers by yourself."

"Huh? W-What?"

"In other words, I'm giving you both a chance, in spite of the fact that you don't have a humorous bone in your body. How about that? Aren't I nice?"

I raised my hand, drawing his gaze to me and I pointed to my upper arm. "What about my humerus? I've got two. Does that make me extra funny?"

His eye twitched and I swore I saw his lip moved ever so slightly upward, whereas Bubble Girl let out an indignant snort and giggle. Sir pushed up his glasses, removing any trace of amusement at my joke.

"Mirio, Bubble Girl, leave at once."

"Ah, okay."

"That wasn't lively enough."

"Yes, sir!"

The two left, Mirio giving me a thumbs-up as I rolled my eyes.

"Not to worry," Sir said. "I won't even try to lay a hand on you, and you are free to attack me however you like. Separately, together, it doesn't matter. I care not what happens to this room. Now, try and take it."

Midoriya leaped into action as I sighed, picking up his backpack and setting it aside.

"Honestly, you never learn. Always jumping headfirst with no plan."

_Speaking of plans, I know Sir Nighteye's condition to his Quirk. Midoriya was screwed when his face was grabbed, but I haven't been caught. He knows that too, so despite him dealing with Midoriya, he'll undoubtedly keep focus on me because I'm not as predictable. And he can touch me all he wants, but if I don't make eye contact… _I smirked. _Bingo. Loophole. Now, I just need to get that stamp. Wait for Midoriya to make an opening and he'll know. I've got to fight smart._

"For now, you should put some distance between us," Sir suggested to Midoriya. "And do fret at the reality that you cannot possibly prevail over my 'foresight.' I had quite high expectations as to what kind of person you would be, Midoriya, but… although you do hold power reminiscent of the symbol, you are in every sense of the word, mediocre."

I bumped Midoriya's elbow, catching his attention with my left hand signing to him. _Thank God I convinced him to learn sign language with me. Silent communication that not everyone knows is a Godsend._

"_**Hey, I have a plan but need an opening. Get him to loosen his grip on the stamp and I'll grab it."**_

"Mirio should have been the one to inherit 'One for All,'" Sir said, drawing Midoriya's attention away, but not entirely as he signed back.

"_**How? He predicts everything."**_

"_**Not for me. I haven't done anything other than talk. There has to be physical touch involved for his Quick. He can't use it on me. I have a shot."**_

"Do you really have the leisure to spend so much time mulling things over? Or could it be that you've run out of ideas?" Sir asked though he had caught sight of my signing, probably knowing we were up to something. "When Mirio said he wanted to introduce you both to me, I was surprised. Let me say it flat out. There is someone much more worthy of One for All. I do not acknowledge you in the slightest."

Midoriya grit his teeth, but I spoke up, knowing he needed to be calm in order to think properly.

"So, what if you don't acknowledge us?" I huffed. "I'm not here to impress you. I'm here to get stronger. For _myself_. Midoriya?"

He nodded, smirk trailing over his face. "Yeah. Thanks, Hotaru. Let's get that stamp."

He started jumping all around the room, using his speed in the hopes of moving too fast for Sir to read.

"It's as if you're a gimpy Gran Torino. You're slow. This is meaningless," Sir declared as I signed to Midoriya.

"_**Cover me. Constant attacks long enough for me to change unnoticed."**_

Midoriya threw himself at Sir, still attempting to get the stamp and keeping Sir's attention on him as I changed. _A fly. Perfect._

"So long as the conditions are met, whether it's a second from now, a minute from now, or an hour from now, I can see exactly where and what you are doing," he said, dodging Midoriya's swipe. "By the way, in about two minutes' time, you'll be cowering over the ground with a stampless form in hand."

I landed on the desk behind Sir, right at his elbow. Much to Sir's surprise though, Midoriya was still smirking away.

"We'll prove you wrong." Midoriya smirked, continuing his assault. "Because I trust Hotaru and I believe in her plans. And despite her attitude—"

_Oi…_

"—I trust her with my life and you have severely underestimated her."

Sir's eyes widened, shifting around the room as he noticed I was gone. Midoriya didn't give him time to react either as I moved up the underside of Sir's arm holding the stamp.

"And All Might told me that I could be the greatest hero! Hotaru believes in me too, and I'm not about to let her down!" He grabbed a handful of papers and books, throwing them at Sir—moving in for one last go—just as I slipped into the small gap between the stamp and Sir's palm. "I am All Might's disciple!"

Sir dodged him again as Midoriya flew past. "What I can see does not change."

"Then, what about what you can't see?" I asked, changing in his hand, forcing it open as I held onto the stamp and landed on his desk as a squirrel monkey.

"You."

I gave him a cheeky smirk, ignoring Midoriya smacking into the wall. "You underestimated me. It's okay. Everyone does. Though, you shouldn't rely so much on your foreknowledge Quirk. There's always a chance for loopholes to slip through. You were so focused on Midoriya's apparent failure that you ignored his smart-talking classmate. And really? What you see can't be changed? Maybe it didn't work the other times you tried but sounds like _you're_ the one who's given up on himself."

He bristled, looking furious as Midoriya rubbed at his bleeding nose and eyed us uneasily. "Who are you to lecture me?"

I shrugged, putting the stamp down on the paper with my tail. "Your apprentice, apparently."

"I refuse."

"Too bad. Contract's stamped."

"Then, I'll destroy it."

"With a witness."

Sir glared at Midoriya, who straightened his spine, willing to defend me if need be. "Then, I will refuse his internship."

"Rude. Even though he risked his entire internship by avoiding all your All Might merch?"

Sir looked around, understanding dawning on him and the smallest of chuckles escaped him. Midoriya beamed, looking to me in joy because we'd fulfilled Mirio's condition, but Sir turned to me once more, eyes serious.

"I'll take him, only if you leave."

I eyed him but tossed him the stamp. "Sure. I stamped _his_ paper anyway."

"But Hotaru!" Midoriya shouted, jumping to his feet. "You got the stamp. I-I couldn't have done it without you! You can't go! I-I-I… I'll refuse!"

I set a level gaze on him, eyes blazing. "You want to be the greatest, so you _need_ this. I don't. I didn't even _want_ to be a hero until recently. You finally got the chance to live your dream, and I won't let you throw it away for me. I'm not trying to be the greatest. I'm just trying to be the best I can be. I can do that with or without his help. And right now, being my best means giving you the help you need."

My eyes went to the door. "And if you keep grinning at me like that Mirio, I'm going to throw this stapler at your head.

He beamed, pushing the door open all the way with Bubble Girl beside him. "Sorry for interrupting and eavesdropping!"

"Are you finished? We heard quite the commotion."

"Yeah," I answered, jumping off the desk and making for the door. "I was just leaving."

"No, you're not," Sir interrupted, stopping me. "You're both employed." He stamped my contract as I climbed up to Mirio's shoulder with a suspicious look.

"Whoa! You did it! Awesome!" Mirio beamed, but I wasn't convinced.

"Why? You were rather against it a moment ago."

"D-Do you really have to question it?" Midoriya murmured, uneasily.

"Yeah, because I don't want some sympathy internship," I complained. "If you're giving it to me just because I was willing to leave for Midoriya, I won't take it."

"H-Hotaru!" Midoriya flailed, looking between me and Sir. "S-S-She doesn't mean that! We're really grateful!"

"Eh?" I scowled at him. "No. I totally mean it. I want to be recognized for my skills, not because I did the heroic thing by letting you take my position."

"Which is why I'm accepting your internship," Sir cut in. "You were the first able to get the stamp, though you did have help. You used what you knew and undoubtedly figured out part of the conditions needed for me to use my Quick. On top of that, I'm curious how you would fight against my Quirk since you're convinced you could change the future I see."

My eyes narrowed. "I can change _any_ future. I've already done it, so I don't need you to tell me what I can and can't do."

Sparks crackled between us before Mirio laughed.

"I knew you two would get alone!"

"**We're not getting along,"** we both said simultaneously before I huffed.

"But I'll accept the internship, Glasses."

Sir's eyebrow twitched at the nickname as I grabbed the contract he held out to me. "You came here to get _me_ to accept your internship."

I scoffed. "I came here because I was bored and knew Mirio would keep bothering me if I didn't show up."

"Are you serious?" Midoriya murmured as Mirio chuckled.

"You both did it! Sir, you were laughing, weren't you?"

Sir didn't respond, straightening his office and changing the subject. "The moment I heard that you were coming here, Midoriya, I had already made the decision to employ you."

"What?"

"I knew that you would be of no use to me."

"What!"

"However, this still doesn't mean that I've acknowledged you. All the citizens of this world without their symbol, they are not looking for a faint light. They are looking for a dazzling one. Even if it means opposing his thoughts, I intend to make clear in the pro setting who exactly is befitting of that power."

Midoriya nodded confidently. "I look forward to it."

"And you."

I swirled my pinky in my ear, flicking a bit of earwax just to watch his eye twitch.

"You landed hits on Mirio, which is impressive. Your cognitive thinking and ability to think up battle strategies is that of a veteran. All Might had already informed me of your brash attitude, but I'm not idiotic enough to miss the potential you're hiding. Don't think I didn't recognize you and your ability when All Might was fighting All for One."

_About time someone realized that was me,_ I mused as he eyed me.

"He also mentioned something about a second Quirk that you were to tell me about in-person should I accept your internship."

_Might as well. No one in here is going to blab and I'm pretty sure Midoriya already knows. _"I can see future events," I stated bluntly, nearly falling off Mirio's shoulders when Midoriya shouted.

"_What!_"

Pulling myself back up, I shot him an annoyed look. "Oh, come on! I thought you'd figure it out by now!"

"You have foresight too?" Mirio questioned and I shook my head.

"No. I just know how things are supposed to go," I huffed, nodding to Midoriya. "Go figure most of them revolve around this moron."

"R-Really?"

"No, I'm joking. Yes, really!" I said in annoyance.

"Prove it," Sir stared then, drawing my gaze to him.

"I knew the conditions for your Quirk before showing up. Touch and eye contact. That allows you to see a person's future for up to an hour. My 'battle strategies' are just a play on that. I know what's coming and plan a counter-strategy accordingly. It's how I hit Mirio, how I knew Bakugou was supposed to have been kidnapped allowing me to take his place, how my anonymous tip managed to save Ingenium from being permanently paralyzed by Stain the Hero Killer."

"Y-You saved Iida's brother?" Midoriya gaped.

"Yes, which is how he found out about my ability. His brother only has personal contracts on his phone. He didn't recognize my voice and Iida knew I was the only person to call him that he didn't know."

"You can't change people's lives like that," Sir said, making me frown.

"Maybe _you_ are convinced of that, but I can see how things could be changed. I plan ahead. Saving Ingenium? Gave a man hope who would've been on the verge of suicide after losing his career and prevented his brother from nearly dying after going to get revenge. Taking Bakugou's place? Allowed a kid to go back home to his family and prevented the school from some serious media backlash. I don't interfere in things that can screw up major events, but that doesn't mean I accept everything that happens in the future I see without a fight. I'm not like you. I'll do everything in my power to change a bad future unless it will cause a worse one."

Sir pushed up his glasses with a sigh. "All Might _said_ you'd be annoying." He waved us off. "Go. I'll see you both tomorrow, in costume."

Midoriya nodded, hastily grabbing our things and I jumped onto his shoulder, sparing Sir one last glance before we left. _Will, can't wait to see how this mess goes. It's gonna be one hell of a disaster, that's for sure._


	14. Chapter 14

"Today is patrol and surveillance. We'll split into groups. Bubble Girl and myself. Mirio, Hotaru and Midoriya," Sir said as I scratched idly at my scar.

_Whoo, what fun,_ I thought sarcastically as Bubble Girl told Midoriya why.

"The Nighteye Office is currently conducting a secret investigation."

"A small designated villain organization called the 'Eight Precepts of Death.'" Sir pulled out a photo. "Their leader, a man named Chisaki, has demonstrated some unusual movements."

"A yakuza member," Midoriya muttered, passing the photo to me. "But these days those types of people are pretty docile, aren't they?"

"Probably in contact with the League of Villains," I told Midoriya. "They're sort of dragging out all the villains, remember?"

Sir eyed me. "However, we have been unable to gather any evidence to show that he is planning anything criminal. And for that reason, the Eight Precepts cannot be treated like a criminal organization. We at Nighteye Office are seeking proof of their criminal activities. Time and again, they've made no effort to put on airs that they are doing anything but."

"What a pain," I grumbled. "Shouldn't you lot be doing periodic checks on groups like this? Out of the blue inspections or something?"

"The police department is in charge of that."

"And what if we bump into him?" I asked, his eyes going sharp.

"Are you saying you're going to?"

"I'm saying no such thing. I may know the future but one: I'm not telling others _anything_ unless I think it's okay. And two: I don't know my own future. So, if we _happen_ to bump into him—"

"You will do nothing reckless," he cut me off. "Then, you will report back to me with the time and location."

"Yes, yes. Play it safe. Gotcha."

His eyes narrowed. "I'm not sure you do."

"I'm smart, remember? I won't do anything _too_ stupid." _I mean, I could follow Chisaki, but the pros already know where they're set up, so there's no point in that, _I mused as we split up and I turned into a crow, landing on Midoriya's shoulder. "I'll get a bird's eye view. Don't get into trouble without me, okay?"

He nodded, looking very determined for a basic patrol mission, but it was cute. _Wait. Cute? Fuck. I need to really curb these feelings. Can't be thinking about that. I've got bigger things to worry about. Like what to do about Sir's death and Mirio losing his Quirk._ I took off into the air with a small frown. _Should I do anything? Mirio is supposed to take over after All Might if nothing happens, and that could mess up all sorts of things. Nighteye though… couldn't I do something? He doesn't __**have**__ to die._ I spotted the little girl running in the alleyway just before she bumped into Midoriya.

_Hm, maybe I should follow them. Not like they'd notice a crow. No one does. _I settled on top of the building above the group as Chisaki made his appearance, being careful to stay quiet and in the shadows. _He might not pay attention later if is spots me, but if he sees me now too? That's suspicious. I'll stay low._

I could see Mirio doing his best to try and keep their suspicion off of them, attempting to get Midoriya to walk away. _But he won't with that girl clinging to him._ Chisaki started to lead them into the alley, making me frown. _Idiots. Hero, villain or civilian, you don't follow people into alleyways. It limits witnesses to anything that could happen._ Then, the girl bolted back to Chisaki's side and they started to leave. _Well, if I'm going to follow them, now's my chance._

I kept to the roof until they left the alley, then made sure to leave distance so I wasn't directly behind the two. Upon reaching their compound through a backdoor of sorts, I did a circle or two above to get a layout, even settling down on one of the rooves to preen my feathers and see if I could spot a round of guards.

I must have dropped a feather or something, since a guard then began to wave a broom at me, trying to get me to leave. I squawked in annoyance until something flew at me. _Dodge!_ I did my best, still getting my wing clipped by the knife but flying off as any crow would to avoid suspicion. I ducked into an alley and plopped onto Bubble Girl's shoulder, startling her. I covered her mouth with my wing, shushing her as Sir glared.

"You sure are noisy for someone on a stakeout," I huffed, letting her go as she recognized me.

"H-Hotaru!"

"What are you doing here?" Sir demanded. "Why aren't you with the others?"

"They bumped into Chisaki and I followed him here," I answered bluntly.

"I _told_ you—"

"They didn't notice me once and I got a good view of the compound from above. They only spotted me when a guard was trying to shoo me off," I complained, lifting my injured wing. "They're rather rude."

Bubble Girl answered her phone and we headed back to meet with the others—myself switching to Sir's shoulder and changing into a small crested gecko should any of Chisaki's men spy us.

"That was reckless," Sir scolded. "I told you not to do anything stupid."

"And if I felt that there was even the slightest hint of suspicion from them, I would have bailed. Thing is, I can lose myself to the animal I am, so my 'acting' is my conscious taking a backseat to the animals'," I explained, eyeing him. "So, even if I was spotted or caught, I would have just been a crow."

He sighed. "It was still reckless. I'm putting you on desk work for an extra two hours once we're back."

"Oh, joy," I muttered as we met up with Midoriya and Mirio.

"Ah, Hotaru! Where did you go!" Midoriya squeaked when he spotted me.

"Getting into trouble," Sir answered, Mirio being quick to apologize.

"My apologies. We screwed up. I never would've guessed that it would turn into those 'bumping into transfer student at the intersection' developments."

_Somebody reads too much manga, _I mused, tongue licking my eye out of habit.

"No. This was my error," Sir argued. "If I'd been 'looking' at the two of you before the fact, it could have been prevented."

Midoriya looked at me. "Then, couldn't _you_ have stopped it, Hotaru? Didn't you know?"

"Yes," I answered. "But it was important that that happened. Eri needed to bump into you for hope, and you needed to understand what was at stake. I'm not just going to spill the future all willy-nilly. I only know one future. Change too much, and it's useless. I fix only what I _should_, not everything I can."

Midoriya was a little confused, but Sir seemed to understand and pressed onward.

"For the time being, I'm just glad you're both safe. If you made one wrong move and he became suspicious of you, things could have gotten dangerous."

"I didn't get the sense he was that dangerous," Midoriya muttered, and I gave him a look.

"Eri ran back to him because he threatened to hurt you."

"W-What?"

"Do you know what his Quirk is?" Sir asked and I nodded.

"He can destroy and remake anything he touches."

"Which explains a lot. Who is Eri?"

"His daughter," Mirio responded as Midoriya nodded.

"He called her, 'Eri.' Her arms and legs were wrapped in bandages. She was extremely frightened. I have no idea what her circumstances are, but… she was crying for help! If only we could have somehow taken her into custody."

Sir shot him a sharp look. "Don't start getting arrogant thoughts into your head. If you try and rush everything, you'll surely fail. If you grew impatient and chased after them, they'd only run further out of your grasp. You aren't so special that you're able to save every person who wants to be saved right then and there. First, you must predict what your opponent's goal is. And after completing a thorough analysis, you must make flawless preparations for every possible situation.

"You cannot possibly save everyone with will alone. This world is not so easy. The truly intelligent villains conceal themselves in the darkness. There are cases in which you must bide your time. You'd do well to remember that." He plucked me off his shoulder and dropped me into Mirio's awaiting palm. "The three of you are to return to the office for today. I have a stack of papers on my desk waiting for you, Hotaru. Let's go, Bubble Girl."

"Ah—Yes, sir!"

* * *

Class the next day was rough for some. Bakugou and Todoroki were covered in bandages from their extra training. Uraraka and Asui were gone for their internships, and Midoriya was constantly being saved from his distracting thoughts by Hotaru.

"If you can't keep up, I'm pulling you out, Midoriya," Aizawa grumbled as Hotaru dropped him outside of the water they were training in. "Hotaru can't be saving you every time you're distracted."

"S-Sorry," he apologized as Hotaru shrugged and jumped back in.

The following day, it was Kirishima who was in a daze. He, Uraraka, and Asui had all fought villains and gained public attention, which had the others in an uproar of curiosity. Some were falling behind, but Aizawa was having supplementary lessons to keep them on track. Hotaru was even in charge of helping them out and was somehow maintaining her good grades even while sleeping through classes.

Midoriya was worried for her, wondering if she wasn't sleeping well again, but she looked better than before. He could see muscles now instead of her usual boney stature, and she wasn't gorging herself at mealtimes anymore. They hadn't been able to do training after dinner though, with him being distracted as of late. He'd spotted her a few times in passing. He just wondered if she was still having problems accepting her blind spot. And now that he knew about her other ability, whether that had to do with her lack of sleep.

_To know what's going to happen and trying to balance whether to try and do something or let it happen even if it hurts someone… How does she handle all of that?_ He eyed her as she covered her mouth and yawned, the two of them leaving the dorm the next morning for a meeting. _She looks tired, but a sort of… bone-deep tired. Is something going to happen?_ He opened his mouth to ask, only for Kirishima to call out to them from further ahead.

"Midoriya, Hotaru! Morning! You're going today too? What a coincidence!"

"No such thing as coincidences," Hotaru muttered, adding to Midoriya's previous suspicion.

"Eh? Good morning!" Uraraka chimed from the doorway with Asui. "You guys are also going today?"

The group even ended up going to the same station, and the closer they got, the more serious Hotaru's expression became.

"Hotaru? Everything okay?" Midoriya asked cautiously and she grunted.

"Just peachy."

"Doesn't sound peachy," Asui mused. "Do you know why we're all heading to the same place?"

She glanced over at them briefly. "There's going to be a big meeting between heroes."

"Whoa, really?" Kirishima gaped. "What for?"

"You'll know when we get there."

"Boo, you're no fun."

She rolled her eyes as they rounded the corner and spotted the Big Three waiting for them.

"Hey!"

"Yo!"

"Amajiki," Hotaru pinpointed the silent senior, approaching him and passing him a bento of all things. "Hope you're feeling better."

"A-Ah… yeah. Thanks," he stuttered out, cheeks flushed and Midoriya frowned when something twisted in his gut at the sight.

_Why is she giving him a bento? Did they… Are they together after that date? Hold on. Why does that bother me?_ He rubbed his stomach uneasily, unknowingly catching Hotaru's attention.

"Oi, Midoriya."

"Huh? Whoa!" He fumbled to catch the onigiri thrown his way as Hotaru cracked a small smile.

"You shouldn't walk around on an empty stomach."

"A-Ah, that's not…" But as he looked at the onigiri, the tight feeling in his stomach dissipated into warmth. "Thanks."

Upon entering the meeting room full of heroes though, it was quick to return.

"Gran Torino? And Aizawa-sensei? This big of a crowd… This is crazy! What is going on?"

"I told you, it's a meeting," Hotaru grumbled.

"Yeah, but don't you think this is a bit much?" Kirishima questioned.

"Honestly, it's not enough," she muttered under her breath, confusing the group but making Midoriya worry.

_What does she know? _A throat was cleared then and Sir Nighteye addressed the group.

"Thanks to all of the information you supplied. The investigation has progressed considerably. I have called this meeting for none other than to share information as well as to discuss how to proceed in dealing with the plots of a certain small organization named 'The Eight Precepts of Death.' I will explain this step-by-step."

* * *

I joined the others, taking a seat by Aizawa instead of near the rest of my class or by Sir. I knew what was going to happen and be discussed, and Aizawa was good at keeping me calm. He seemed to notice my unease too, letting out a soft sigh.

"Don't say anything unless you feel it's important," he muttered, earning a stiff nod from me until he smacked the back of my head. "Relax, brat. Being tense won't help anyone, least of all, you."

"Right," I murmured, rubbing my head as I turned my focus back to the meeting going on around us.

"We have reason to believe the Eight Precept of Death have made the dispersal of unlicensed goods part of their livelihood. As such, I have requested help from heroes familiar with that line of work," Sir explained.

"Long go, we smashed those kinda things to pieces," Fat Gum said, crushing the candy in his hand. "Then, yesterday, in Red Riot's debut battle, Tamaki was shot by somethin' new. The likes we ain't never seen! A drug that erases Quirks."

"Erases Quirks?"

"What? Tamaki, you're okay, right?" Mirio asked Amajiki, who changed his hand into a hoof.

"Yeah. After sleeping, it came back."

"If it recovers, no need to worry. Nothin' fatal." Rock Lock waved off.

"Don't be naive," I cut in, not caring that he was a pro. "You honestly think they haven't been working on making it permanent? They could be spreading prototypes while perfecting it. You shouldn't let your guard down based on an assumption."

He bristled, looking ready to argue, but Sir was quick to cut in.

"She's right. We can't let our guard down. Eraserhead?"

Aizawa explained. "It's different from my Erasure. That's because I'm not attacking the Quirk itself."

_Which is interesting,_ I mused. _Aizawa puts a pause on Quirks but this drug hurt it and will eventually be able to cause enough damage to prevent it completely. _My gaze shifted to Mirio. _And I have to let that happen to him._

"It contained human blood and human cells."

"In other words, that effect is derived from a person or a Quirk. A Quirk to destroy other Quirks," Ryuukyuu concluded.

"_Or_," I jumped in again. "It's like Chisaki's Quirk which can disassemble and reassemble, except they isolated the disassemble bit. It doesn't necessarily have to be a Quirk that destroys Quirks."

She nodded, eyeing me curiously, unlike Rock Lock. "Good point. You're a U.A. student, right?"

I nodded, gesturing to Sir. "Interning under him."

"She's a pain," Aizawa hummed. "But smart."

"I can see that."

"I'm not _that_ smart," I grumbled as they went on to speak about Eri and her being used to make the drugs.

"So, you're saying that if these dudes had been able to take the girl under protection, then this whole problem would've been resolved right then and there?"

_God, I'm really starting to hate this guy. _"You really are stupid, aren't you?"

"Excuse me?"

Aizawa shot me a look. "Hotaru."

"No," I snapped, losing my patience. "I'm not going to just let him throw Midoriya and Mirio in the dirt like that. There was nothing they could do. Chisaki would have killed them if they tried to take Eri. He could have killed civilians in the area. We've got dozens of pros here because he can't be dealt with easily and you think a couple of interns—no matter how experienced they are—could take on a villain like that? One with nothing to lose? Who could disassemble them, reassemble _himself_, have backup waiting around the corner?

"No single pro could handle Chisaki on their own without harm, so blaming them for preserving their safety and everyone else's is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. No villain would let up or stop fighting if you took something from them. If they took Eri, you'd have a _way_ bigger problem than this. They did everything they could."

"I'm not going to just sit here and let some _brat_ talk to me like this!" Rock Lock shouted, standing furiously and I was prepared to get kicked out, only for something surprising to happen.

"Then, get out."

I looked at Sir in shock as he eyed Rock Lock calmly.

"What? _You_ called me here and you're telling me to leave? You should be kicking _her_ out! Letting some _kid_ call the shots is—"

"The only one I see acting like a kid here is you," Gran Torino cut in, and as I looked around, I found almost every pro glaring at him—all on my side.

"She's making good points," Aizawa added. "And infighting will get us nowhere. A pro should know when to shut his mouth and listen to good advice, no matter _who_ it comes from."

Rock Lock begrudgingly sat, and my head was knocked forward by a harsh hit from Aizawa.

"You also shouldn't lose your temper."

I rubbed the spot and grumbled out an apology as conversation continued as to where Eri might be located. _And Aizawa was supposed to question Sir's Quirk, but he's not. Is that because of me? Then, why not question me more? He's trying to keep my Quirk a secret maybe? But would my information be helpful? Could I hint something without largely changing the future?_

"What about your Quirk?"

My gaze went to Rock Lock in annoyance as _he_ became the one to question Sir.

"That, I can't do," Sir replied, explaining how he was only able to see one hour of one person's future once a day. "Once activated, for an hours' time I can see the film of an individual's life. That's how you can think about it. However, all of that film is from a perspective that very closely follows the person. All I can see are their actions and their immediate surroundings."

"Isn't that more than enough?" Aizawa asked, sparing me a brief glance that I tried to ignore. "You should be able to find out a lot from that. What do you mean, you can't do it?"

_Is he questioning me too? I tried my best to explain in that meeting with him, Nezu, and All Might, but perhaps it's harder to understand than I thought? Or is he looking at the differences between my abilities and Sir's?_

"For example, if in the person's immediate future, I see death. A merciless death awaiting them. What could I do?"

"You could try," I spoke up, turning my gaze to Sir's and seeing the deep, aching sorrow in them that matched the heavy weight and tiredness in mine. "You could do your best to change that future and if it still happens, at least you did your best. At least you _tried_ and don't have to live with the guilt of never even doing that much."

He eyed me for a moment longer before bowing his head. "I can't."

"In any case, let's proceed with the plan," Ryuukyuu said.

"Don't forget, there's a girl in trouble here."

"Locating the girl and securing her rescue. Our goal is to resolve the situation as quickly and effectively as possible."

I couldn't do it anymore. Between Sir's guilt and Midoriya's crumbling features, I gave in—resolve to do nothing disintegrating in an instant.

"I know where she is."

All eyes went to me as I forced myself not to look at any of the pros.

"What?"

"How?"

"Brat, you better not be lying. This is no time to joke."

I glared at Rock Lock. "I wouldn't joke about someone's life, asshat."

"Hotaru," Aizawa muttered, placing a hand on my shoulder with a serious look. "You shouldn't."

I huffed, shaking his hand off. "What kind of hero would I be if I sat back and let four people suffer needlessly?"

"Four?"

I jabbed a finger at Midoriya and Mirio, who both stiffened. "Two guilty morons convinced they're responsible for Eri getting taken again." My hand turned to Sir. "A depressed, guilt-ridden Glasses who refuses to say anything for fear of not being able to change what he sees. And a little girl being used to make drugs against her will. My speaking up about where she is won't change anything other than speeding up the inevitable."

"You don't know that," Sir pressed, looking almost frantic. "You telling us could cost lives."

"Every plan has risks," I countered. "And if that happens, then that'll be _my_ problem, wouldn't it? Either way, I'd rather _try_ than just let things go if there's something I can change for the better."

Ryuukyuu raised a hand. "Sorry, but could someone explain? How do you know where Eri is located?"

"The short version is that I have an ability like Sir's Quirk," I explained. "Difference is, I know only _one_ future, but I know its entirety."

Gran Torino hummed. "So, you know about everything that's going to happen?"

"To a point, yes. But if I change one thing, it could cause a ripple effect and ruin my knowledge of everything connected to it. The butterfly effect, if you will."

"What changes id you tell us her location?"

I shrugged. "Things happen sooner rather than later. Maybe we catch them a little more off guard. Shouldn't change too much."

"So, you can tell us where she is, but nothing else?"

"Maybe hints of stuff? How to fight certain people to finish fights toner, where to move, what to keep an ear out for, that sort of thing. I can only change little things though, or my information becomes useless. I refuse to give away more than what I feel is necessary. You don't like it, that's your problem. U.A. has only just found out about my ability too, so I suggest you keep quiet about it like they have, or I'll have villains after _me_ next." _Not that they weren't already but they don't need to know that._

"Then, we'll be counting on you, Hotaru," Sir said, albeit begrudgingly. "Now, I'll provide the specifics to each of you individually… with Hotaru's assistance."

I gave a small wave and settled in for the planning, hoping that everything would work out like I hoped. _I can't stop one event, but I'm not about to let that multiply if I can help it._

* * *

Aizawa stepped into the room where the interns were waiting, a tired-looking Hotaru on his heels.

"Are you guys holding a wake or something?" He asked at their downtrodden expressions.

"Sensei! Hotaru!"

"Ah, just call me Eraserhead outside of class please," he said as Hotaru yawned and stepped away to make tea. "Oh, however, I had originally planned to suspend all of your internships today."

"What! Why now, of all times!" Kirishima screeched.

"You all heard that there's a possibility that the League is involved. That changes things. But you know, Midoriya, you still haven't restored my trust in you yet." Aizawa crouched down. "Unfortunately, I have every reason to believe that if I were to stop you right now, you'd just jump out in the midst of things again. I'm watching you. If you act again, we'll go by the formal procedures this time around, Midoriya." Aizawa pressed a fist to his chest. "Got it, problem child?"

"Oi, I thought _I_ was the problem child?" Hotaru grumbled, passing Aizawa a cup of tea as he stood.

"You're the biggest of them all," he complained. "I _told_ you to stay quiet unless necessary, and instead you just went and spilled to everyone."

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Sir already knew as did you, Midoriya and Mirio. Word's going to get out eventually, I know that. But at least it can get out to heroes first and help someone." She set down another cup of tea in front of a surprise Mirio. "Now, stop moping already. There was nothing any of us could have done and I know the future, so _I_ should be the one moping."

"But… you're not."

"And you know why? Because we don't have the luxury to waste time drowning in our own guilt when we could be _doing_ something about it."

He finally cracked a small smile. "I wonder how you do it sometimes, Hotaru. You might not smile as much, but you're always looking up, aren't you?"

"Shut up, or we're never going on another date, blondie."

"W-What!" Midoriya screeched, looking confused. "B-But I thought—"

"Did you honestly believe he was hooking me up with Amajiki?" Hotaru questioned. "If he was, he wouldn't have crashed the first date. It was just an excuse. Amajiki was the wingman in this case, or else he would have protested more. He obviously wanted to be anywhere _but_ the ramen shop." She narrowed her eyes at Mirio as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Let me guess, too chicken to be on your own with me thinking you'd ramble on and on out of nervousness, and believed I wouldn't go out if it was just you?"

He smiled sheepishly. "You caught me."

"Idiot. Just _ask _next time. Christ, what are the villains going to think? Big almost-pro can beat anyone with his Quirk, but chickens out of the first date? Moron," she grumbled, though a hint of pink could be seen on her cheeks as Mirio chuckled. "That goes for you too, Midoriya."

"What?" He squeaked as her gaze shifted to him.

"Stop moping. Besides, she's thinking about you, you know."

"E-Eri-chan?"

Hotaru nodded, looking away. "The first person to hold out a warm, kind hand… You'd be surprised how much a simple action could mean to people."

Midoriya looked down at his hand, seeing nothing special about it, but knowing Hotaru was right. He had reached out to her so now, she had hope. He was coming to save her, no matter what.

* * *

If my sleeping schedule had been bad before, it was infinitely worse this time around. It had taken me ages to fall asleep, only for my eyes to snap open later in a panic after a nightmare. Trying gain had only proved futile, so I settled down for an evening of pondering my plan for the raid and watching ghost stories on TV. _One of the few things that hasn't changed. Even with superpowered heroes, ghosts still manage to frighten people. How funny,_ I mused, making sure my hero costume was on and ready as I glanced at the other nervous interns from my class. _Ghosts and inexperience._

The officer in charge of reading the warrant stepped forward to the intercom of the large mansion as Sir gestured for Ryuukyuu to move to the front. _Change number one, get the cops back for the moron who punches through the gate._ Said masked bird was quick to launch through—Ryuukyuu even faster to change into the large dragon to deal with him.

"Split up! Once inside, let the officers deal with the minor yakuza group members!" Sir ordered per my instructions from our meeting the day before. "Head for the objective!"

Once inside, people began to voice their concerns.

"Forget about watching' out for any 'suspicious behavior.' This is _way_ beyond that!"

"Yo, I'm gettin' a real bad feeling about this," Rock Lock added. "Thought you said we'd get the jump on them, brat?"

"I said we _might_," I argued. "This just means I didn't change as much as I thought. Info would've gotten leaked either way apparently."_ Which doesn't bode well for me. If our attack was leaked, could my foreknowledge have been leaked as well? With the League of Villains pining for the completed drug too, Shigaraki might have gotten word. _I quickly pushed the thought aside. _No. Don't worry about that now. We need to focus on what's directly ahead of us first. I can worry about that later. I need to be with Sir or…_

I was drawn out of my thoughts when Midoriya and Kirishima broke through a fake wall blocking our path, eyeing the swimming landscape beyond with a hint of disgust.

"The path! It's shifting, twisting!"

"It's Irinaka," I replied, shocking the officer behind me.

"But this is way too much for him to be able to handle! The most he should be able to slip into and manipulate is an object about the size of a refrigerator!"

"If he got a _really_ ginormous boost, then it ain't outta the question," Fat Gum replied, and I pointed at him.

"Like he said. Instead of thinking about the 'how' though, we should be making to take him out."

"Can't you erase it, Eraser?" Fat Gum asked.

"Not unless I see the user's body, no. Hotaru? Any ideas?"

"One." I changed into a small Elf Owl. "Mirio, go on ahead. Find Eri's location and do what you do vest. Make a lot of noise. One enemy will make you drunk if you're close, another makes you tell the truth. Third can slow you down if cut. Got all that?"

"Yup." Mirio smiled, sliding into a wall, but Sir wasn't pleased.

"Why did you send him on his own?"

"Because he can handle himself," I said simply. "Now, be quiet. I'm trying to find—"

The floor vanished from under our group and I cursed, fluttering down and landing on Aizawa's shoulder.

"We're getting farther and farther from our objective!" Rock Lock complained. "They've got us right in their hands!"

I ignored him, seeing the trio waiting for us. "Focus. We've got company."

"Well, well, well. What do we got here? The Authority of the government, fallen from the sky. But stranger things have happened!"

Fat Gum started to move forward, but Amajiki stopped him, determined to prove himself.

"I'll show you the strength of a pro to achieve our goal! The only one who's needed to take down these time-eating pawns is me!"

"Aizawa!" I called out, moving to Amajiki's shoulder as Aizawa rushed forward to turn off the trio's Quirks. "Amajiki, we're going to leave them to you. Bird beak has a dagger in his mask and can teleport small objects to himself. The big guy can harden and manipulate crystals. Last guy can eat and devour anything. Can you handle that?"

He nodded, though his hands shook, and I nudged his head lightly with mine.

"Relax. You've got this, Sun Eater."

He grew a little more confident after that, charging in as I shifted over to Midoriya. "Take care of Mirio for me! He'll definitely do something rash, so be sure to help him out."

"As much as I can," I answered as we rushed out to the next area.

"Hotaru, Fat, you're seriously leaving Amajiki behind like that? Are you crazy!" Kirishima shouted.

"In terms of ability, he surpasses everyone else here," Fat Gum explained. "But his heart is weak. He feels like he's under pressure to do everything perfectly, and he lets himself be crushed by that pressure. But even in that state, he still managed to climb his way to becoming one of the U.A.'s Big Three."

"Trust me," I added. "He's got this. Mirio is doing his best and Amajiki wants to do the same. He'll take care of them. We need to focus on what's ahead of us."

"Something's not right," Aizawa spoke up as I jumped back onto him.

"The guy in the wall has a limited range. He can move through it and manipulate it. Fat Gum?"

"Yes?"

"This might not make sense yet, but one will be a hard puncher and the other can make barriers."

"Enemies?"

"Yes, but you two can handle them." My head snapped to the side. "Aizawa! Left!"

The wall flew at the both of us, trying to shove us through a hole in the wall, only for Aizawa to get pushed out of the way.

"Fat! Sorry!"

"Don' worry about it!" Fat Gum shouted in return, rolling into the hole himself.

"Hotaru, you—"

"They were the best two to deal with them, otherwise, I would have said something to stop it," I explained quickly, giving Aizawa a look. "Trust them."

He nodded before I turned to the others.

"Midoriya, look for where I'm at and throw a good kick or punch, okay?"

"Eh?"

"Just do it. Rock Lock, use your Quirk on this wall, now. He's going to start shifting walls again."

Sure enough, the passage began to twist and shift, squeezing in, and Rock Lock secured the wall I asked before I flew further down the passage.

"Hotaru!"

"Midoriya, pay attention!" I called back, only for the space to open up and my eyes widened. "Shit! I've mixed them up! He's going to separate us! Rock Lock! Don't let her get your blood! Sir, use a seal on the smaller guy first! Big one's a fake!"

"Who?"

"Don't ask questions! Just listen!" I snapped, rushing back to them in a panic. _How did I mix up the timeline? Ugh, there's just too much to remember for one person!_ I ended up back with Aizawa and Midoriya just as Rock Lock was sectioned off by himself and Sir with the police.

"What happened?" Aizawa asked as I grimaced.

"It's my fault. I got things mixed up. I thought we were further along."

"Will they be okay?"

I nodded. "Mostly. Midoriya, break the wall leading to Rock Lock and don't trust the unhurt one. Aizawa, use Erase right away."

"Right!" Midoriya nodded, swinging a kick and bringing the wall down as a "Rock Lock" looked over at us.

"An imposter appeared outta nowhere and attacked—"

"shut up, you nutjob," I complained as Aizawa activated his Quirk and the _actual_ imposter shifted back to her normal form.

"Toga Himiko!" Midoriya gaped.

"That's me! Toga! You remembered! I'm like so happy we could meet again! I'm so happy, Deku, baby!"

Aizawa wrapped her up in his scarf, but I flapped my wings in warning.

"Don't let her get close! If she gets your blood, she can turn into you!"

Toga glared at me. "You know an awful lot for a bird. Who _are_ you? What does your blood taste like?"

She launched herself at me and I screeched, trying to dodge, but her blade nicked my wing and I cursed, only for her to change into another Elf Owl. "Oh, this is useless!" She whined, changing back and somehow catching Aizawa off-guard enough to nick him as well before disappearing through the ground.

"Sensei! Hotaru!"

"We're fine, Midoriya, just pick up her knife and wipe it down good. We can't keep letting her get more disguises," I huffed. "Though, it's good to know she can't change into _me_ if I'm an animal."

"She's being helped though," Aizawa commented. "An alliance?"

"Of a sort. More the yakuza being used by the League who only want the drugs," I grumbled. "That's why I sent Gran Torino to deal with the League case instead of this. Now, get ready, Midoriya. I can find the guy in the wall, so when I give the command, you need to hit where I'm at. We need to get him in view of Aizawa, and the League are going to piss him off."

The walls, floor, and ceiling began to crumble and jut out as a distant shout came to my ears. I flew off, following it and finding the source only a moment later.

"Midoriya!"

I dodged to the right as his foot landed on the wall, breaking it and finally giving Aizawa a look at the man, disabling his Quirk. Sir ensured the man was knocked out and handed over to the police, giving us a look.

"You all right?"

Aizawa nodded. "Only minor injuries aside from Rock Lock. Could have been worse," he hummed, shooting me a glance.

"You _could_ just thank me, you know," I muttered, landing on Sir's shoulder. "Though, it's not over yet and… I'm sorry."

Sir frowned, eyeing me, but I was quick to fly off, knowing he would understand shortly and that I wanted to be as far away from him as I could when it did. _I know I'll just have to deal with it, but for now, I need to focus. I can't let that darkness swallow me just yet._

"Follow me," I said, drawing everyone's attention to me. "Elf Owl's have some of the best hearing of any animal. I told Mirio to make noise for a reason."

* * *

"Midoriya, here!"

Midoriya burst though the wall Hotaru found and hit Chisaki hard in the arm.

"Nighteye, Hotaru! Secure the girl!" Aizawa called out, keeping an eye on Chisaki to keep him from using his Quirk.

"She's be… hind me," Mirio breathed out as Sir grabbed hold of him and Eri while Hotaru landed on his shoulder to keep an eye out for trouble.

"Splendid. You were simply amazing, Mirio."

"Togata! Now, pick up where he left off and let them have it!" Aizawa called out.

"Keep your distance from the guy on the floor!" Hotaru called out. "He's been healed and if you're cut, you'll be slowed down!"

Aizawa's gaze snapped to said villain, stopping his Quirk before it could manifest just as Hotaru changed and landed on top of the villain with a low growl and hiss.

"Give me a reason," the Saltwater Crocodile grumbled as Chisaki used the opportunity to throw spikes up everywhere.

"I cannot… I _will_ not allow my plan to be ruined by these damned heroes!" Chisaki snapped. "Right, Nemoto? You don't want that either, do you? You would never want me to meet my end here!"

"He's going to merge with his comrade!" Hotaru called out, having changed again into a snow leopard.

"You… You must be the brat they warned me about," Chisaki growled as Hotaru winced. "No matter, Lemillion, you really were stronger than me. That much was certain, but when all is said and done—even _with_ your all-knowing brat friend—it will all for naught. Now… you'll be returning Eri to me."

Midoriya grimaced as he looked over the situation and seeing how it was quickly going downhill.

"When someone lays their fingers on me, I can't help but feel the need to cleanse myself," Chisaki purred. "I can feel the blood rising to my head. This is the first time I've been pushed to this point. What a tragic life, huh, Lemillion? If only you hadn't gotten involved with Eri… with me. You would not have lost your Quirk forever. You'd still be able to pursue your dreams."

_What? Forever? B-But didn't Hotaru…_ Midoriya glanced at her as she lowered her head and Sir spoke up.

"You apologized. You _knew_."

Hotaru nodded. "I did, and I am sorry, but that was the one thing I couldn't change." She looked over at Mirio. "I really am sorry, Mirio, but you don't need a Quirk to be a hero or follow your dreams."

Mirio turned away from her and Midoriya felt his heartache at the sight of sorrow that flickered over Hotaru's face before she tucked it away.

"And despite losing it, because you insist on dragging this out, you've gotten all your friends mixed into this, only for them all to die!" Chisaki shouted, using his Quirk to try and throw more spikes at Sir, Mirio, and Eri.

Midoriya cut in though, keeping up attacks but struggling to get a read on Chisaki.

"Power and speed. Is that it?" Chisaki mused before being hit by Sir's attack.

"I'll take this guy on! Go take care of Lemillion and Eri-chan!"

"Roger that!" Midoriya said, making a bee-line for the two—idly noting that Hotaru has seemingly vanished. "Eri-chan, senpai? Can you move?"

"Ah, yeah…! No sweat!" Mirio said, trying to be positive only to falter. "I guess this is bumming me out after all… and Hotaru, she…"

Neither knew what to think about Hotaru's omission of him losing his Quirk, but now wasn't the time to dwell on things.

"Let's get out of here!" Midoriya grabbed them both and kicked a hole in the wall. "It just closed up a minute ago, but this is the path that we passed through to get here! We've got to put some distance between us and Chisaki! At the very least, it'll be safer than here."

"Please… no more," Eri cried. "I'm sorry."

Midoriya carried them into the hall just as Mirio looked back, eyes widening in concern and ear as he spotted the spikes aiming for his mentor.

"Sir!"

Blood was spilled as the spikes pierced flesh, staining silver fur red as Sir hit the ground over by the others in a daze. Hotaru choked, spitting blood over her snarling jaws as Chisaki launched an attack at Sir again. Midoriya charged forward though, stomping on the ground with more power than before and stopping it furiously.

"You guys coming here has only made things worse for yourselves," Chisaki snapped. "You _do_ recognize this, right? Give it up. It's just going to turn out exactly as I said it would. Everyone will die."

"I won't let that happen," Midoriya growled in return. "Even if that's what fate has decided, I will bend the future!" He pushed forward again, nearly getting hit by another attack if Hotaru hasn't thrown herself at Chisaki in that very moment.

Said villain tossed her away and she barely landed on her feet, panting heavily as blood stained the floor.

"Hotaru!" Midoriya cried out in concern but she was quick to snap at him.

"You need to work together with Sir! Use his foreknowledge to dodge attacks before they come. _You_ have the power he doesn't. And don't give me some future bullshit, Sir! I just saved your ass so the least you could do is ignore that future you saw and focus on the present! You're a pro, goddammit! Now, get up and act like one! Mirio is counting on you!" She faltered, fighting to stay on her feet as Midoriya placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We got this, Hotaru. Go take care of Eri-chan."

She eyed him. "Remember what I said during our spars. Your attacks are too straight-forward. In a life or death situation—"

"It's okay to play dirty," Midoriya finished, managing a confident smile.

"And don't be afraid to push yourself," she added, surprising him. "Eri's on our side and once she figures out her Quirk, you won't have to worry about it."

Midoriya gaped at her. "I-I thought you weren't going to tell us the future!"

"Shut up. It's a useful hint," she huffed, looking away in embarrassment. "Don't tell Aizawa. He'll make me run laps again."

Midoriya nodded, taking a step forward. "We'll do our best."

Hotaru let out a soft sigh, limping towards the exit as Mirio and Eri headed to. "I don't doubt it just… try to stay in one piece."

* * *

I was struggling, gasping for breath as my injuries ached and throbbed and burned. _I-I was smaller than Sir, so I didn't get as hurt, but I m-might die from blood loss at this rate._

"M-Mirio," I breathed out, spotting the blond senior and our charge not too far off. "Y-You just keep going d-don't you, fucking blond Energizer bunny."

He stumbled and I pushed myself to rush over and help support him. He put his weight on my shoulders, making me falter for a moment with a cringe, but I managed to stay upright just barely.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

I hesitated, not wanting to have this conversation now or at all, honestly. "I don't give away the future unless it's a life or death situation."

"I _did_ lose my life!" He shouted, eyes blazing with an anger I had hoped to never see directed at me. "I lost my Quirk! Being a hero was _everything_ to me and you could have stopped it! You could have prevented all of this!"

"And then what!" I snapped back, angry and hurt myself. "You take All Might's place; the League of Villains make a move and you end up dead? You all don't look at the bigger picture! I can only see one future and I'm sorry, but no matter how hard I looked or tried to figure it out, there was nothing I could do to save your Quirk without fucking up everything else!

"But you know what? You're _alive!_ You have an amazing future ahead of you even without a Quirk, while some people aren't supposed to come out of this alive at all!" I shouted, tears welling in my eyes. "You all think it's so _fucking_ easy. Sir gets it, and even he's pissed. Do you get it yet? I do what I can, but I can't stop everything. Some things have to happen if we want a better future."

"I'm… sorry," Mirio breathed, understanding dawning on him. "That's… I would never want the burden of something like that and you… you have it."

I looked away, spotting the tail end of Eri's dress as she rushed back towards Midoriya and Sir. "Ah, look, Mirio. We can talk about this later, I'm sure. Eri just made a bolt for it."

"What!" He whipped around in shock. "Eri!"

"Oi, stop screaming in my ear and climb on," I muttered, managing to change into a Sun Bear with a pained grunt as it tugged my injuries.

"But you're hurt."

"As are you, but I can manage to get us there, so climb on or I'll leave you here."

He nodded, clambering on and clinging to me as I brought us back just as the ceiling caved in—dropping all of our backup. Midoriya made a bolt for Eri, but Chisaki launched the girl up to him only for her to finally figure it out.

"Come on, Eri," I breathed as she grabbed a hold of Mirio's tattered cape. "Figure it out."

"What is she—" Mirio gaped as the girl separated Chisaki and his comrade, falling into Midoriya's awaiting arms.

"Give her back!" Chisaki wailed, flying after them as Mirio shifted.

"He can't maneuver up there! We have to—"

"No, watch," I urged. "He's learning."

Sure enough, Midoriya swung a kick only to fly out of the hole.

"What? But how!"

I winced, vision shifting and fogging. "I-I don't remember. Something about All Might and… air pressure?"

"What about Chisaki? Is there anything we could do?"

I shook my head, grabbing hold of a slightly injured Sir before he could rush in to try and stop Chisaki from combining with another comrade. "No… We have to let Midoriya handle this."

"Are you mad?" Sir snapped. "Even if we _all_ go after him, we cannot win. Yet, you're placing all your bets on him?"

I sagged slightly, letting Mirio slide off my back. "I believe in Midoriya because it's _his_ future that I see. And Eri just learned about her Quirk. She'll keep him safe."

"How?"

I cracked an awkward smile. "She can reverse things. Chisaki's melding, Midoriya's injuries."

"Are you saying—"

I nodded. "Midoriya can use One for All at one hundred percent." I coughed then, blood spattering on the ground as my body shuddered. "S-Shit."

"Hotaru!" Mirio shouted, drawing Ryuukyuu and Uraraka's attention as they hurried over.

"Uravity, take them to an ambulance."

"W-Wait," I breathed. "A-Aizawa needs to be brought here. Eri can't c-control her Quirk. He needs to be able to stop it."

Sir nodded. "We'll do that and call for an evacuation of citizens in the area."

"D-Don't bother with the League. They're already a step ahead."

"Hotaru, stop," Mirio murmured.

"There's a sand hero. K-Keep him off the bridge. Y-You've got to, or—"

"Hotaru."

I finally went quiet as Sir placed a hand on my head.

"Enough. You did good. Now rest."

I let out a soft sigh and sagged, slipping into the dark as Uraraka effortlessly brought me to the nearest ambulance.

* * *

Midoriya hastily pulled back on the upper half of his hero uniform, hoping to quickly finish up his physical exam to go check on the more heavily injured.

"Just to make sure, I gave you a full physical examination," his doctor said. "But I found nothing wrong aside from your arms."

"Thank you."

"But how in the world did your arms—"

_I really don't have time to explain this. _"They're fine! More importantly, how are the other—"

"I just went and checked on them all," Aizawa said, stepping into the room and ignoring the chastising nurse behind him as Midoriya beamed.

"Aizawa-sensei! Are you all right now?" _We lost sight of him after Chisaki…_

"I got ten stitches. Sorry I wasn't able to keep up with you at the critical moments."

"Oh, no. That's completely fine! So, how are the others?"

"Kirishima has numerous bruises and lacerations all over his body, but it's not life-threatening," Aizawa rattled off as he led Midoriya down the hall. "Amajiki has a small fissure-like wound on his face but apparently it'll heal up without a trace, given time. Fat Gum suffered a few bone fractures, but he seemed to be doing fine. Rock Lock and Sir got away with minor injuries as well."

"Thank goodness."

"Eri, on the other hand, still hasn't woken up and her fever won't go down. We have her quarantined for now."

Midoriya was worried but Aizawa informer him that there wasn't anything they could do for the moment.

"All we can do is accept it. Also, this is good timing. That guy's just arrived."

Midoriya gaped at the sight of the numerous people inside of the hospital room they'd just entered. "All Might! Recovery Girl! But why are you here?"

"She asked him to come," Sir grumbled, pushing up his glasses as a Doctor stepped forward.

"There's not much else we can do, honestly. It's a miracle she's alive."

Recovery Girl huffed. "If she stopped jumping into trouble and taking on everyone else's burdens—"

"Then, we might not have gotten as far as we did with so few injured," Aizawa mused. "As much as I loathe to admit it, things could've been much worse without her."

"S-She's right here… you know…"

"Hotaru!" Midoriya called out, rushing to her beside and wincing.

A breathing mask fogged lightly as a bead of sweat slipped down her face. Bandages littered her body and tubes trailed out of her side; her skin a sickly pale white making him wonder just how close to death she'd been.

"O-Oi, don't give me t-that look," she complained, drawing his worried gaze to hers. "I'm alive, aren't I? Y-You're supposed to be smiling, m-moron."

Midoriya couldn't help but crack a small smile at that, glad she was still able to act like herself.

"Y-You two," she lifted a hand and lazily pointed to Sir and All Might. "Make up o-or I might just d-die here to haunt y-your pathetic asses."

Aizawa dropped his head into his hands with a sigh as the two heroes eyed each other.

"I… I've done such an awful thing to you," All Might finally muttered, earning a huff from Sir as he looked away.

"You humble yourself too much. It's not like I blame you or anything… All I wanted was for you to be happy… That's why… if you've decided to fight against fate, I'm fine with that."

"I want you to fight against fate too. Let me make amends for everything I've done."

Sir gave him a sideways glance. "Making amends… I owe a lot of people for troubling them."

"D-Damn right, you do," Hotaru grumbled as he continued.

"Up until now, I've been searching for every possible way to change your future. I wanted to change the future where you are killed, but nothing worked. I couldn't change a single thing… But Midoriya and Hotaru showed me a way. I just couldn't clear away these doubts. 'I can't change anything.' 'It's impossible to change.' Those thoughts were always stuck in the back of my mind.

"Looking back, I think… it was all about energy. A future you strongly wish for. So strongly, that there is no room for doubt. A strong and clear vision. Energy from wishing. I'm sure they're not the only ones. I think everyone believed so strongly in a single future, that it all just joined together. The future is never certain. You all changed my views on that." His gaze shifted to Hotaru's. "What was supposed to happen today?"

Her expression turned blank. "You were supposed to die."

"What?" Midoriya breathed out the same instance Mirio did—having stepped in a moment ago.

"What do you mean?" The blond asked as Hotaru sighed softly and looked up at the ceiling.

"You were there… You saw me shove him away. I just g-got lucky. A snow leopard isn't quite the same size and shape. The lethal spikes missed."

"But you couldn't have known that," Mirio said, storming forward gripping the rails of her bed tightly. "Were you… Were you planning on dying?"

"You're going to add to Recovery G-Girl's psychological file on me," Hotaru muttered, but Midoriya joined in as well, understanding dawning on him with Mirio's words.

"Y-You were… weren't you?" He breathed as the adults in the room exchanged looks.

Hotaru let out a sigh. "I don't… I never _plan_ on dying. With knowledge like mine though… I can't figure everything out." She shifted with a grimace of pain. "A-As much as I'd like to avoid it… the future I see n-never has me in it. I can only work with what I'm given."

"And me?" Mirio questioned, expression pinched as he grabbed her hand.

"You have a bright future. Quirk or not," she muttered, giving his hand a weak squeeze in return. "You _make_ it that way, no matter what me or Sir see. H-Honestly, you all rely on me too much," she huffed, shifting again with a cringe. "Make your own futures, dammit. Preferably w-without dying. I can only interfere so much, obviously."

Recovery Girl sighed, moving over and adjusting the drip. "I will up your pain medication for now but do try to _avoid_ ending up in these situations."

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Yes, ma'am. I'll avoid saving lives like a hero," she replied sarcastically, earning a pain-filled whack to the leg by the woman's cane.

"Don't mock me or I'll turn it off."

"R-Right," she squeaked in pain as the tension in the room slowly dissipated.

"Anyway, you lot better head back to the dorms," Aizawa cut in. "I'll grab Kirishima and escort you back." He shot Hotaru a look. "Expect supplement lessons since you'll be out for a while."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered tiredly, looking on the verge of falling asleep.

Recovery Girl spotted the fatigue in an instant and shooed everyone from the room. Once back at the dorm—being joined by Asui and Uraraka—the group was confronted by the rest of Class A. When he could finally split up from the others, Midoriya sought out he one person Hotaru asked him to speak to.

"Ah, Kacchan!" Midoriya called out, spotting him on the couch. "Hotaru w-wanted me to tell you she's okay. Well, she'll be hospitalized for a while, but… yeah."

Bakugou scowled, getting up in annoyance. "Hah? Who asked about that stupid mutt anyway? I'm going to bed. I don't have all the time in the world like you idiots!"

"Ah! S-She said good luck!" Midoriya called after his retreating back only to get a rude gesture in response. "T-To you too, Todoroki."

Said student raised a brow in question but nodded. "Tell her I appreciate it."

"Oh, wait!" Midoriya searched his pockets before finding the note and handing it to him. "She wanted you to have this. I-I think it's a hint about the provisional license exam."

Todoroki furrowed his brows, but took it, giving the note a once-over. "Babysitting?"

Midoriya shrugged. "I don't get it either. She just said to take it and don't be so tense."

He gave a small nod before anyone knew it, it was time for the cultural festival.


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry an update for this has taken so long! The manga is mostly about Shigaraki at the moment, but I want to get another chapter or two out with what little of Class A that they're showing. This chapter is mostly _my_ plot with the ending of the school festival at the beginning. Hope you all enjoy it! And for those supporters of the "Miruku" ship (**thank you flowerangel502 for the ship name**) there's a lovely surprise at the bottom. Let me know what you all think ;)**

* * *

I picked at the bandages on my arm and around my neck, eyeing the path before me. _What a pain. I finally get released from the hospital and Recovery Girl demands I get more iron supplements. It's the cultural festival, woman! Can't I take a moment to enjoy… myself?_ I blinked at the two abandoned grocery bags on the cement in front of me, something in my mind clicking.

"Ah, I forgot," I muttered, rubbing my facial scar.

_Midoriya is dealing with… uh… Gentle? Yeah, him. Poor guy. Feel bad for him. Wonder if there's anything I can do._ I changed, wincing slightly as my still-healing body ached, but grabbing the grocery bags in my talons and flying up into the sky as a Harpy Eagle. _Now, where… ah, found them._

"Oi, getting into trouble already, Midoriya?" I questioned, dropping his things in front of him and landing on his shoulder.

"H-Hotaru! You're out of the hospital!"

I gave Hound Dog and Ectoplasm a look. "Don't be hard on them, yeah?"

"Eh?" Hound Dog grumbled and I shrugged.

"Not like he's a bad guy. Just a little misguided."

Ectoplasm hummed. "We'll put in a good word." He nodded and Hound Dog took the two away as he eyed us. "All Might was worried. Class A starts at 10 am, right? It's 9:16."

"Well, it's a good thing I found your stuff while getting more iron supplements, huh?" I mused, giving Midoriya a look and changing again into a small Sugar Glider. "Would you mind dropping me off with Mirio?"

He nodded, scooping up his bags and bowing in thanks to Ectoplasm before bolting back to the festival. We went our separate ways and I enjoyed the concert from Mirio's shoulder, along with the rest of the festival. I had to admit though, it _was_ amusing to see Midoriya's face when he found out Eri was going to be taken care of by U.A. Then, we were sent back to the dorms under the claims that we'd be getting visitors.

"Achoo!"

All eyes went to Tokoyami as he rubbed his beak.

"Catch a cold? Everything all right?" Uraraka asked as I passed him a tissue and a cup of tea.

"No. I'm healthy. Mucus was just acting up."

"You're being mentioned in a conversation, aren't you?" Kaminari hummed. "You must have gotten a fan! You're just like Yaoyorozu!"

"Don't poke fun at him for it! It's something to be grateful for," Yaoyorozu complained.

"Tokoyami-kun especially would have fans, wouldn't he? After all, he interned at Hawks' place."

"Ugh," I groaned. "Don't even mention that bird brain to me. Tokoyami, get him to stop texting me. My phone's been going off non-stop after all the crap that's been happening. I still can't believe you gave him my number."

"I can't control him. I doubt anyone can, though isn't it a bit too early for fans?"

The door opened and Iida ushered everyone to greet our guests, but I just settled down on the couch with my tea and a book just as the group burst in.

"Locking on with sparkling eyes!"

"Here to lend in a helping paw!"

"Coming out of nowhere!"

"Stringing cute and catty!"

"**We're the Wild Wild Pussycats!"**

"Pussycats! It's been a while!" Iida called out with a bow.

"You all look well, my little kitties!"

"Don't call us that," I complained as Bakugou grumbled as well and tried to leave.

"We came to celebrate her reinstatement," Pixie Bob explained, gesturing to Ragdoll.

_Someone I had no way of helping…_ I turned my gaze back to my cup.

"Reinstatement! Congratulations!"

"Ragdoll, you've returned? Weren't you on a break from active duty after getting your Quirk stolen?"

"I'm not returning. I'm going to be supporting the three of them as an office lady."

I stood up, dropping off my cup in the sink and heading for my room, not feeling Midoriya's eyes on my back. _Things are just going to get worse from here. I can't do anything about Hawks and Endeavor—they won't listen, and Hawks is…_ I sagged against the door, bringing a hand up to rub at the scar on my face. _And I'm running out of information too. I know I talk a big game, but the series was ongoing. I only know there's some competition between Class A and B. After that? _I tipped my head back, allowing it to knock against the wood behind me. _What am I going to do?_ I flinched when someone knocked on my door, resisting before reluctantly opening it.

"Midoriya?"

"H-Hey, um, Hotaru. Y-You're not staying for the celebration?" He stuttered out, plastering a forced smile on his face.

_That's not what he wants to ask._ I sighed softly, stepping away from the door and allowing him in. "Sorry. I'm just… not really feeling it right now, is all."

His smile faltered and I winced, being sure to turn away so I wouldn't have to see the expression I'd put on his face.

"Hotaru, is something wrong?" He asked, closing the door behind him. "I-I… I said you could talk to me if there was, remember?"

_You wouldn't understand._

"I know I don't have a Quirk like yours, so I-I might not understand it completely, but… I'm worried, Hotaru. A-And I want to help in any way I can, even if it means just listening."

_God, you're too damn nice. Don't you see? Don't you see how naïve you are? How easily real-life problems just slip on by you and the others? You're all here celebrating when the rest of the country is panicking about the League of Villains and the new top hero. You're here asking me if I'm okay when I'm losing sight of everything that's supposed to happen. My foreknowledge is running out and people are going to die expecting __**me**__ to save them. _My teeth ground together, sending an ache up my jaw as my hand fisted on the desk and I clenched my eyes shut. _H-How could you possibly be worried about me right now?_

"Hota—"

"You should go, Midoriya," I cut him off, grateful that my voice was steadier than I felt.

He grabbed my wrist though, turning me to face him with a serious frown. "I'm not leaving you, not when you're like this."

"Midoriya, I'm fin—"

"You're not fine!" He shouted, silencing me.

It wasn't often that he was this serious, much less yelling. He seemed to realize this and lowered his voice, but only slightly as I stood stiffly in front of him in shock.

"I… I just want to help."

I sagged a bit in his grip, guilt trying to drown me for having pushed him away so many times when all he wanted to do was be kind.

"Please," he murmured, so softly I almost thought I imagined it and the hurt in his voice.

I opened my mouth, trying to tell him another excuse, get him to leave before all those walls I'd built up came crumbling down, but it wasn't working. My eyes began to burn with tears and my mouth slowly closed as I bowed my head and brought my free hand up to it with a shaky breath.

"I-I'm scared," I finally admitted. "I-I-I don't know what to do."

I couldn't see his expression as I shrank away from him, sitting on the edge of my bed and not even realizing he still held my hand until his grip tightened and arms wrapped around my back.

"I… I'm sorry," he murmured, unsure what to say as I struggled to rein in some of the emotions that were dripping steadily through my fingers. "I… I'm scared too. A-About All Might and the whole… League of Villains and… and… um…"

Something must have possessed me in that moment, because my arms wrapped around him as well, silencing him from having to find something to say. And we spent that moment slowly accepting that things weren't going to get better, not just yet. Things were going to be hard, harder than ever, and we were the lucky ones. We stood a chance of getting out of the oncoming war between heroes and villains alive.

* * *

Midoriya sat at the kitchen table in a bit of a daze, staring at the miso soup in his hand and his spoon resting in his other not moving anywhere near the bowl. He couldn't stop thinking about Hotaru and what had happened the previous evening. He hadn't known what to think when she'd suddenly crumbled and cried in front of him like that. He _still_ didn't. It made him feel almost ridiculous. He'd always thought of her as unwavering and strong in everything, but she was just as human as the rest of them. She might act mature, however, wasn't she dealing with so much more than the average middle schooler? With her Quirk where she could predict the future, surely she was having a harder time than even some of the pros.

He was still uncertain about that though. All Quirks have limits and it didn't seem right that her limit was just that she could only predict _his_ future. Why his specifically? And what activated her Quirk? How did it work? There was no way it was just her thinking "what happens next?" and suddenly having the answers. It felt… _wrong_ somehow and the way she acted… it was like she already knew somehow.

He pushed the thought away, finishing his soup in one gulp and lifting his chopsticks to stuff down his rice as he thought. Her teary eyes came back to his mind then, making him wince and slow down in his eating. _She… She's having a really hard time and… she's pushing us away._ He didn't want to think that maybe she was actively trying to. Hotaru seemed to really care about their class and the people in it. He was just worried that she was holding so much back (for their safety?) that unconsciously she was steadily isolating herself from them. It made him anxious. What did it mean when someone so strong suddenly couldn't be?

It made him think of All Might, and he soon lost his appetite, setting down his rice and begrudgingly excusing himself from the table—allowing Kirishima to take his leftovers since the eager redhead never seemed to get full when it came to breakfast. He started to head back to his room, a little lost as to what to do since it was a rare day off school, but he paused outside a door. _Her_ door.

He hadn't seen her down at breakfast and that gnawing sensation began to roll in his gut once more. It was… embarrassing, really, how he'd started to find himself thinking about Hotaru more and more. She was just involved in so many aspects of what was happening… Or so he told himself. He knew it was an excuse. If it was just that, then surely he wouldn't have been fumbling so much around her. He wouldn't have been turning to go down hallways between classes to avoid her or ensuring that he sat at a nearly full table at lunch, so she wasn't sitting too close.

It was silly, really. He didn't quite understand why he was doing what he was doing. There was no real reason to avoid her, but every time he got close, his stomach would lurch into his throat and his stuttering would get worse. He wondered if she'd noticed. He didn't _want_ to put distance between them, but it felt like ever since he'd found out about her new Quirk, he hadn't been as close with her as he used to. Their morning spars had tapered off and then stopped completely with the whole incident with Chisaki. And as much as he didn't want to admit it, she did a little more than worry him lately.

This new Quirk made her intimidating. It was one thing to think she was just really smart, but to know she knew possibly his entire future with a look? It scared him and he wasn't sure how to face her about it. He wouldn't tell her, but he'd actually spoken with Mirio about the whole incident, unsure how she'd respond if he'd asked her. He didn't expect to be told that Mirio and Hotaru had broken off what little relationship they'd had at the festival they attended with Eri. It wasn't a big surprise. Mirio _telling_ him upright had been more of a surprise than anything. He hadn't asked, after all. Yet, the smiling ex-hero seemed to be hiding something from him. Like he knew something Midoriya didn't know about himself.

Thing is, he asked Mirio about how he could continue to be so friendly with Hotaru after knowing that she knew everything that happened and was going to happen. Not that he wouldn't be able to continue being her friend, but Midoriya wasn't sure what to make of these new emotions swirling in him when he felt Hotaru's eyes on him. Fear, embarrassment, unease and… joy. Mirio didn't tell him much but did explain that Hotaru was struggling with her Quirk more than anyone. She felt responsible for everything she could, and for a lot of things she shouldn't. He didn't know how that felt. He'd probably _never_ know what it felt to have that sort of weight pressing down on his shoulders every day, every hour, every _second._

He'd made his decision after that. He didn't want her to feel alone. He never wanted to see her as upset, broken down and beaten as he did last night. He let out a soft sigh and reached out to knock on her door, only for it to swing open before he could. Hotaru stood there, mildly surprised at his presence, but eyes rimmed with dark bags and only the slightest hint of pink lining them betraying her crying earlier. Midoriya, feeling his stomach lurch, fumbled through explaining what he'd been about to do.

"A-Ah, um… M-Morning, Hotaru!"

She blinked, exhausted-looking and he already knew she wasn't a big morning person. "Morning," she murmured, waiting for him to move, but he hesitated.

_Just say it!_ "W-Would you, um… D-D-Do you want to have lunch with me!"

Her brows furrowed, creased in confusion as Midoriya shifted his weight back and forth on his feet uneasily, pink tinting his cheeks as he turned his gaze to the right—as far away from her as he could manage without being rude.

"I… I guess?" She answered, pulling out her phone and frowning down at it as she realized what time it was. "Sorry. I, uh… I thought it was earlier. Is breakfast already over?"

Midoriya nodded, but chewed his lip for a second, rubbing the back of his head. _God, why is this so hard!_ "Y-Yeah. B-B-But there's some rice still in the cooker a-and eggs and, um—"

Hotaru grunted, letting him get out a soft sigh of relief. He never noticed before how she always seemed to know when to cut in to prevent him from being more embarrassed than he already was. His flush darkened, only to yelp when a hard shoulder rammed into him—Bakugou lifting his lip in a scowl.

"Move it, Deku! You're blocking the hall!"

"S-Sorry!" Midoriya squeaked out at his glare—Bakugou's red eyes sliding over to Hotaru with a scoff.

"Stupid mutt. Breakfast is over, idiot."

"Thanks for the heads up, Baka-gou," Hotaru drawled, making him bristle and his hands spark dangerously.

"What did you say!"

"A-Ah! N-Nothing!" Midoriya hastily intervened, stepping between them and holding his hands up with a nervous smile. "S-She's just tired is all."

Bakugou clicked his tongue in annoyance, simmering down as he made for the elevator with his hands stuffed back into his pockets once more. Midoriya let out a sigh of relief then jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder. Hotaru released him hesitantly, giving him a glance.

"Thanks, Midoriya. I'll, uh… see you at one?"

His face lit up, nodding with a bright grin and not even realizing how pink Hotaru had gotten in return.

* * *

_W-What is he thinking!_ I mentally wailed, brows furrowed and eyes aimed up at the ceiling in a daze as I idly sipped at my morning tea in the common room. _Is this… No. There's no way it's a date. He's not like Mirio. Not as forward. But after last night…_ I tipped my head back, knocking it on the back of the sofa with a grumble of complaint. _I hadn't meant to break down like that. Damn him for being so supportive and… cute._ I groaned again, running a hand over my face.

"Um, is everything all right, Hotaru?"

I peered through my fingers over at Uraraka and a few of the other girls who I hadn't realized had gathered. _All right? He's supposed to like __**you! **_I leaned forward, dropping my chin into my hand and having more tea, still not entirely awake.

"What would be good to wear to go out to lunch?" I asked, not expecting the reaction I got.

Ashido, Uraraka, and Yaoyorozu were immediately in my face, making me lurch back in shock.

"You're going on a date?" Ashido squealed.

"A-Ah, um, I-I don't really—"

"With who! Who!"

My gaze shifted briefly to Uraraka, catching what I thought might have been a hint of concern. _God, they're really going to make me say it, aren't they? I don't want to hurt Uraraka, but… I think we're a bit past that now._

"I-It's not a date. At least, I don't think it is," I tried to explain, face cherry red and knowing that I wasn't exactly convincing them. "M-Midoriya and I are just going to grab a bite to eat."

I didn't miss Uraraka's flinch, but surprisingly enough, she continued to smile and looked to Yaoyorozu.

"We've _got_ to help her find something to wear!"

"W-What!" I yelped, getting hauled to my feet as Jiro sighed and took my tea before it could be spilled.

"You've done it now, Hotaru."

"Done what!" I questioned, getting tugged towards the elevator by the girls as the few boys sill in the common room watched in curiosity.

"Asked for help," Yaoyorozu replied, startling me with a soft smile.

"Yeah!" Ashido beamed, throwing a fist up in the air repeatedly in her excitement. "We've been wanting to dress you up for _ages!_"

"N-Not that we're going to force you into anything you don't want to wear," Toru added, her gloved fingers being pressed together anxiously as we all slipped into the elevator.

"Look. I-I just wasn't sure what to wear," I argued, holding my hands up in surrender. "A-A full makeover isn't really necessary."

"Nonsense!" Yaoyorozu declared. "You're always wearing pajamas when we're not in school. It's about time you spiced up your wardrobe, and I've got _plenty_ of things for you to try. I can always make some too if you don't like them."

"I-I'm not _always—_"

"Hotaru, you've worn the same grey sweats and t-shirt for almost a week," Jiro cut in, making me flush.

"I-I haven't! I just… have multiple of the same sweats," I murmured, earning raised brows from the group before giving in. "You guys aren't going to let me go until I find something to wear, are you?"

"Nope!" Ashido chirped, making me sigh as we headed for Yaoyorozu's room.

I sat on her bed as the girls began to dig through her closet and Jiro stood beside me, arms folded over her chest watching them. Her gaze drifted to me as I ran a hand through my tousled brown hair that undoubtedly needed a trim.

"So, why Midoriya?"

I jerked, my head snapping up to eye her in surprise before looking away with red cheeks. "It's not a date," I grumbled. "He just invited me to lunch since I missed breakfast."

"Uh-huh, and he also followed you last night when you left after the Pussy Cats showed up, and now you're sleeping in?"

"We just… talked," I muttered, glad that Jiro was at east tactful enough to keep her voice down so the others wouldn't hear.

"We're not blind, you know," Jiro said quietly, not being argumentative, just letting me know. "You've been stressed for a while now. We've all been worried."

"Sorry. I… I just…" I looked down at my hands, unsure of what to say.

"It's fine," she silenced me, cracking a small smile and nodding to the others as they picked out clothes. "This is their way of trying to help. We know you're not exactly the forthcoming type. Maybe that's why you and Midoriya work so well together."

I sighed, knowing that telling her again that it wasn't a date would be pointless. "He just… so stupidly kind and naïve. I don't know what to do with him."

She cracked a smile. "Well, if you ever need to complain about him and the other boys, we'll listen. I was actually betting on you and Bakugou if I'm being honest."

I wrinkled my nose. "Bakugou? Why?"

She shrugged. "You seem the only one able to deal with him, is all. Momo thought maybe Tokoyami."

I blinked. "But he's a bird… How would that even work?"

Jiro snorted before laughing, shoving at my shoulder. "I didn't even think of that!"

"Hold on, girls. We've forgotten something," Yaoyorozu declared suddenly, making me look to them in confusion before she smiled at me. "We need to start with her hair, or we'll _never_ get the right clothes."

"Hold on, my _hair_?" I questioned, tugging on a brown strand that had fallen toward my eyes. "I mean, it's a bit longer than I'd like, but—"

"Exactly! Jiro?"

Jiro rolled her eyes, giving me a look as Yaoyorozu made scissors and a trimmer for her.

"Wait, you can cut hair?" I blinked in surprise as a chair was also made and a barber's bib, myself moving to sit in the seat as Jiro nodded.

"I thought about doing hairstyling as a kid and my parents were willing to let me take lessons even though they wanted me pursuing a music career later. Any idea what you want?"

I thought about it for a second before an idea came to mind and smirked. "Let's do something crazy."

The other girls grinned as well, and I wondered how surprised the others would be when they saw what I looked like by the end of this venture.

* * *

I fidgeted uneasily, suddenly feeling silly for the dramatic hairstyle change and the clothes that Yaoyorozu had given me. I checked my phone and winced. It was one o'clock. Midoriya would be waiting. I couldn't drag this out any longer. I fingered the light purple-dyed strands now sticking up on my head and bit my lip. _Why did I choose to do this __**now? **_I sighed heavily before inhaling deeply and straightening my back, attempting to gather all my confidence to step out of my room and act as though nothing had changed. It was a lie, a terrible one. I was embarrassed and scared to death as to why Midoriya decided to have this impromptu luncheon. But that didn't mean I had to show it.

I moved into the common room, resisting the urge to pick at the loose cream sweater that hung off my shoulder to show off the black scoop-necked shirt underneath. It was odd being so… _bright_ when I was used to such darker colors like black and grey and blue. Needless to say, the others were surprised as well—Mineta's drink slowly dribbling down his chin as he gaped in shock. Kirishima was the first to recover, smiling brightly.

"Hotaru! You look cool!"

I gave him a look. "You think everything looks cool, Kirishima."

"Yeah, but you're like… extra cool now!"

I rolled my eyes, lifting a leg to scratch the back of my calf with my foot at the base of my loose grey calf-length pants. _I really owe it to Yaoyorozu and the others though. These clothes are super comfy._

"You guys seen Midoriya?"

"He's outside," Kaminari replied as Mineta narrowed his eyes, having recovered from the initial shock.

"You two goin' somewhere?"

"Yeah, lunch. I missed breakfast and he offered to take me out to get something," I shrugged, hoping to play it off but Mineta wasn't one to just ignore something serious like that.

"What! You're going out on a date?"

I winced, wishing I could hide the light flushing of my cheeks. "It's not a date."

Mineta wasn't convinced. "Heh, yeah right. A guy inviting a girl to lunch is definitely—"

His mouth was covered by Ashido, who beamed at me and waved with the other girls who'd helped me earlier.

"Have a good time, Hota-chan!"

My brow twitched, but I begrudgingly ignore the nickname since she'd shut Mineta up. Not that she was the type to listen anyway. I stepped out and startled Midoriya, whose mouth dropped open in surprise at my new look.

"Let's go," I muttered, grabbing his hand and pulling him along behind me to get as far away from the dorm as I could before the others made their way outside to tease us both.

I finally let him go once we reached the street, allowing myself a moment to relax now that we were far, _far_ away from the others. With our pace slowed, I realized I had no idea where Midoriya wanted to go and turned to him.

"Where are we going for lunch?"

"A-Ah! Um, I didn't… I-I didn't really think of that," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"It's fine," I hastily said, not wanting him to be a hot mess since it was apparently obvious that he did this as a spur of the moment thing. "I know a good place."

I led the way and he hurried to catch up to my side before falling into pace with me. We were quiet for a minute before he spoke.

"You, um… Y-You look nice."

"I…" I bit my lip for a second. "Thanks. The others made me dress up, but I thought my hair needed a change… It's not… It's not too… odd?"

"No!" He said quickly, waving his hands frantically. "It's just… different is all. It looks nice. Really! It looks… cute."

His words made both of us look away with awkwardly red cheeks as we approached the small restaurant and slipped inside. We'd grown quiet once more, ordering food and settling down at a table until I couldn't stand it any longer.

"Is this about last night?"

"What?"

I looked to Midoriya tiredly. "This whole… lunch thing. Is this about yesterday? Because I never meant to… you know. I was tired and stressed and—"

"I didn't do it because of that," Midoriya cut me off, wringing his hands across the way from me. "I just thought you might want to have some time to… not think about it. Or, I guess, maybe… talk about it?"

I raised a brow. "You _do_ know those are exact opposites of each other."

Our food was brought over then, and we thanked the waitress and started to eat. _God, why not? He already knows anyway._

"I'm losing my foreknowledge."

He choked on his noodles, hitting his chest a few times as I continued eating calmly until he was finished. "What!"

"My knowledge of the future only goes so far, then it just… stops," I explained, looking at him as he grew serious and listened quietly, frowning down at his food. "I guess I was just a bit stressed because of that. Sorry."

He shook his head. "No, don't be sorry. I might not understand what that feels like, but… it must be hard."

"I'm more worried how others are going to take it," I muttered, dropping an udon noodle with a grimace as it fell into the soup with a splash. "People might still get hurt or worse, and… and they might expect me to be able to do something when I don't know anything. I… Initially, I didn't want anyone knowing about it. Now, I regret not keeping it under wraps for longer."

"But you saved people! Sir Nighteye, Ingenium, a-and Eri too!"

"Yeah, but…" I sighed. "Now, people are going to depend on me more, expect _me_ to fix their problems when I just… I can't."

Midoriya sagged a bit, pondering what I'd said as I tried to keep eating.

"You… You remind me of All Might."

I shot Midoriya a disbelieving look of surprise. As much as I didn't care for the overexaggerating blond hero, I knew Midoriya cared for him a lot. Him saying I reminded him of All Might was something almost… scary.

"It's just that… You both carry such a big burden and people look up to you to help save them, but… you can't save everyone. No one can save everyone, not even a top pro hero like him, or someone with knowledge like you." Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck in uncertainty. "I… I was scared, at first, about your Quirk. When I found out, I thought… I thought maybe that's why you became friends with me o-or when you looked at me, maybe all you saw was the person I _would_ be."

I shrank a little, having not even thought about what anyone would think after I explained to them my foreknowledge. Not in this way, anyhow. I was more afraid of people using me for my Quirk.

"I never thought…"

"No! I-It's okay!" Midoriya said quickly, catching onto my downturned mood. "I… It was stupid. Thinking that you wouldn't look at any of us as people…" He shook his head. "It was so stupid of me to think like that. You're _kind_, Hotaru, even if you might not look it o-or act like it sometimes. You always help us when we need it. I just think that you… you don't always know how to help yourself. That... That's why I wanted to take you out. To… To kind of help you see t-that I want to help _you_."

_Goddamn him for being like this._ I cracked a soft smile, surprising him. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Midoriya."

He flushed bright red and for once, I laughed about it. My feelings were obvious at this point—for _me_, anyway. I liked Midoriya, but I wasn't sure about telling him. He seemed the type to want to focus on hero training before everything else. _A girl asking him out probably isn't even a thought in his head._ I felt my smile falter and turned back to eating. We relaxed more after that, idly chatting away about heroes that I knew and didn't know. How school was going and about our classmates. We left the restaurant in a pleasant mood but slowed as we approached the dorm.

"You know, they're going to badger us for details the moment we step back inside," I grumbled, and he nodded in defeat.

"You're lucky. At least you have a chance of getting people to leave you alone."

"Are you kidding? The girls in our class are vicious!"

We both looked at one another and chuckled. It didn't honestly matter what our classmates thought now. I started for the door first but was surprised when Midoriya grabbed my hand to stop me.

"A-Ah, wait!"

I paused, face heating at the skin contact and trying to keep it unnoticeable. Midoriya hesitated, thinking through what he wanted to say before finally facing me seriously.

"Can we… do this again?"

I blinked, stunned. "Sorry, what?"

And the confidence was gone. "I-I mean… e-eating together! Having a-a…"

"A date?" I questioned before I could stop myself, drawing red into both our faces. "S-Sorry. Not… Not a date. Um…"

Midoriya shook his head then, tightening his grip. "I… No. No. That's what this was, wasn't it?"

_W-What?_ I opened and closed my mouth for a minute as Midoriya covered his mouth with his hand in uncertainty, trying to hide his own red face.

"I-I've got hero stuff t-t-to worry about but, um… I-I've been thinking… A-A-About you, I mean. I-I don't know i-if you feel the same or anything. I-I just thought… M-Maybe we could, um…eat out sometimes? I-If that's okay with you! I-I don't want to force you i-i-if—"

"No, it's…" I bit my lip for a minute, glancing down at our hands before tightening my grip on his and looking back at him as seriously as I could with a tomato-red face. "I-I'd like that, I think. We could, um… spar together too, if you want. Like before."

He nodded, looking almost relieved at the slight change in topic. "Okay! That sounds great! Ah… W-What about the others?"

I glanced at the dorm and grimaced, turning back to him. "Say nothing?"

"Won't they find out?"

"Well, yeah. But wouldn't you rather them figure it out slowly instead of all of them going at us at once?"

"Oh…"

I chuckled at his expression before shaking my head, giving his hand one more squeeze before letting it go. "Wait for a few minutes after I head in. I'll try to fend them off for you."

He smiled a little. "Thanks."

"Idiot. I should be saying that."


End file.
